Of All Fate's Designs
by Akari-Chaan
Summary: There were three things Namikaze Naruko knew. One, Orochimaru was her leader and Kage, never to be questioned and always to be worshiped. Two, she held the Kyubi and that made her one of the best. And thirdly, Konoha was the birth ground of all evil. So, what's up with this mission to kidnap Uchica Sasuke? Why isn't everyone acting evil? Fem!Naruto. Eventual!Fem!Naru/Kaka.
1. Chapter 1

**Of All Fate's Designs**

 **What does one do when their whole reason for existence turns out to be a lie? They fall. Having to pretend to be a boy named Uzumaki Naruto allowed her friends, the opportunity to grow, to soar. Namikaze Naruko though, was never one to take the easy road, instead of soaring, she plummeted. Fem!Naruto. Eventual!Fem!Naru/Kaka.**

* * *

 _A/N – For all of my old readers, welcome back to my new wacky ride full of things I wanted to include, places I always wanted to go, with new – never before seen advantages, and parings. Plus better writing, that too. I hope you like this new story, with the same basic premise – that is not much like the last. Don't expect much from the last one to make it over._

 _To all my new readers, I certainly hope you're ready for this! Enjoy, read, and review! If you want to read the first version of this it's under the title 'Legacy' on my profile. I'll warn you though, don't get too attached. It's not finished, and it won't ever be. This is only rated 'M' due to detailed violence, extensive language abuse, and the allusion to sexual themes. It's just to be safe guys._

 _Don't forget, please point out any spelling/grammatical or silly mistakes that I may have made! I hope you enjoy!_

 _~ Akari-Chaan xxx_

* * *

 **Eventual _parings (because I'm fully aware that parings can make or break a story for someone);_**

… _.._ Fem!Naru/Kakashi (with a dash of Sai/Naru!)

… Hinata/Genma (with a dash of Kiba/Hinata, and onesided!Crush!Hinata/Sasuke!)

… Sai/Ino (with a dash of Fem!Naru/Sai)

… Saku/Sasu

… Haku/Neji (of course it's Slash, what did you expect? _None_?)

* * *

 _Preface_

There is a many number of things which come to shape a child's personality; in their formative years things can change in the blink of a second. One moment, a child is born destined for the light, a never ending brightness; and in seconds that fate can be so irreversibly altered. It was a frightful thing to comprehend, and yet, it happens on a daily basis.

The last night of October in the Hidden Leaf Village, was a momentous occasion; a night, where the fate of so many was changed, altered in the twisted design of fate. The most unique of Fate's own designs. The Kyūbi no Kitsune attacked the village, let out of its previous jailer because of two moments of weakness.

In the world of ninja, one moment of weakness was all it took to rewrite history in its path. It just so happened, that the leader of this village, a Hokage was there to stop the terrible beast from ravishing the lands, but this man payed a steep price. The price of his life. To defeat this beast, he choose to seal it into a person, the only thing strong enough to withhold such a burden.

This man, who couldn't possibly realize the folly of sealing such a demon into his newborn daughter, died before he could realize what was to become of the girl. He only had one last living wish, he wanted this girl – his baby, to be seen as a hero. He wanted her to grow up happy and loved, as it was his dying wish.

One fate would have the daughter of the Hokage growing up with love, worshiped for her unknown sacrifice, but this was not to be. On this night of sacrifice and horror, there was another who happened to be travelling throughout the land – a man whose dream was once to be Hokage, but that wish had turned bitter, and he became hateful and jaded throughout the years.

He looked onto the destruction of his once much loved land with a sense of glee, he was happy that the village was being destroyed, they deserved it – for they had denied him his right. He was powerful, intelligent and had the nerve to do what most didn't. Yet they scorned him for it, belittled him. Yes, he was quite entertained to see the village fall.

He was ready to continue on, let the village finish its final destruction when this man's eyes caught onto something of importance. The beast that was the cause of this village's destruction was becoming smaller, until soon, nothing but vapor and the silence of a battle won was left.

He was more intrigued than his fury would have. In this moment, he chose to investigate and there, in the horrid confusion of everything, he saw the beloved Hokage, the man who had stolen his right to govern Konoha.

He was slumped over a tiny figure, as if to protect it from any harm. The man, he decided quickly, was very much dead. The thought brought a gleeful grin into the man's face. How poetic. Satisfied with the man's death, even if it didn't solve his curiosity, he made to leave. Until the sounds of crying started to emit from underneath the Hokage.

With a brief flash of indifference, he kicked the man over to reveal the squealing form of a newborn child with a complicated seal inked onto its stomach. The man had made a Junjuriki? A creature with the power of the Nine-Tailed Demon? The sounds of the man's high pitched laughter rang through the area, alerting others of his presence.

"Stop! Don't go near Hokage-sama!"

"Your Hokage is dead, you fool," the man responded, his eyes wide in the excitement, his tongue darting out to lick his lower lip. Quickly his arm darted out to grab the small child from the ground. "Now, I'll be taking this child with me. Thank you for this most _generous_ gift. I'll be _very_ sure to take care of it."

"It's Orochimaru of the Sannin!" One of the men shouted, although he wouldn't move to take a step forward. None of them would. They were too scared, scared of their enviable death should they face him. "Hand over that child!"

"I should think not," the Sannin responded, a wide snake-like grin twisting over his features. "After all, who is going to stop me? _You_?"

* * *

 _Otogakure_

 _Naruko POV_

 _Age; 5_

* * *

At five, Namikaze Naruko knew many things that perhaps, she shouldn't. She knew that she was something called a Jinchūriki, which was basically a person who was chosen to imprison a demon. The Demon she was given was called the Kyūbi no Kitsune. The _supposedly_ most powerful one of all. People like her, were grown to be weapons, fighting for the better good of their country, to protect those people.

She wasn't exactly from Otogakure though. Orochimaru-sama had told her quite frankly that he's taken her from Konoha the night the demon got sealed into her. She remembered with horror the stories he'd mentioned of that place. How they only sealed the Demon inside of her so they could kill her, and by proxy the demon.

The young girl quite frankly, did not want to die and was so utterly filed with gratitude that Orochimaru-sama saw what was going to take place and saved her from the awful village. He'd also told her about how her farther was the Fourth Hokage, who was a mean spirited man – that stole the title of Hokage from him, and then banished him from the village because he was worried that others might see Orochimaru-sama as the rightful leader and start a revolt.

Honestly, who would want to partake in a place like that? She was quite happy here serving the man that had saved her from such a terrible fate. She would protect him to her last breath, because her life was his to serve, she was his tool. She would be useful in any way possible. Because it was him, the man who had saved her.

"Naruko, Orochimaru-sama wishes to see you – come," Kabuto-senpai beckoned her from the book that was currently in her lap. Kabuto-senpai was one of the nicest guys here, he always made her she got lots of nice food and he fixed her up every time she hurt herself too badly.

Hurriedly, the young girl closed the book she'd been struggling to read. Reading wasn't an easy task, but it was one that Orochimaru-sama wanted her to learn, so she would, and she would become the best at it as she possibly could. Anything for him, the man who saved her.

As quickly as she could, she hurried alongside the grey-haired ninja. What could this man, this man of such importance what with her today? Her whole body thumbed with an invisible sort of excitement. She loved to be of use to him, this man – her Leader!

Traipsing through the rounded archway to her Leader's office, she attempted to look as stern as possible. Naruko came to a stop next to Kabuto-senpai attempting to look as vaguely threatening as she could. She'd seen numerous others do this in Orochimaru's presence, and figured; why shouldn't she be doing it?

"Naruko," Orochimaru-sama greeted, his eyes gliding over the girl with hardly restrained interest. Naruko leaned forward, eager to please the long haired man as best she could. All she wanted was for him to acknowledge her. The little girl bowed her head to the much greater man, she would do anything – anything he asked of her. "Today is a special day for you, is it not, little Naruko?"

The blonde girl's head shot up, trying to suppress the wild smile on her face. Not that she succeeded very well. He remembered! He remembered what day it was! Naruko nodded her head eagerly, not quite able to hide the excitement written on her face. "You turn five today, am I correct? Yes. Well, did you know that I started the Academy at five? Naruko, what do you say about becoming my most treasured ultimate weapon? Will you become one of my most precious, and _trusted_ ninja?"

He wanted her to become his most _treasured?_ Most _Precious?_ His most _trusted_ ninja? How could she refused such a beautiful opportunity? "Of course, Orochimaru-sama!"

The man smiled down at her gently, his mouth twisted in a form of a smile, his entrancing golden eyes glinting with triumph. "Will you train to protect me?"

"Of course!"

"Will you tame the beast inside you, to do anything I so desire you to?" He asked again. Did he not trust her? Was this why he was contently questioning her? She would have to reinforce her loyalty to him. He raised her, she would always, completely be in his control. He knew what was best for her, why wouldn't he?

"Of course, Orochimaru-sama! I will always be by your side!" Naruko claimed, a fire, which was once reflected in many of her family, now present in her blue eyes. "Always," she vowed once more.

The translucent-looking man smiled, showing her the fang-like teeth he held back normally. Was he really, really happy? That was the biggest smile she'd ever seen from him! She'd made him _happy._ "Then, we shall begin your training. You are aware of course, of your Mother's Clan and from which they specialize?"

"The Uzumaki Clan," Naruko nodded, a brief twist of hate colouring her features. Oh yes. She remembered very well, about the mother that Orochimaru-sama said had attempted to kill her once the sealing was complete. "They have a really good way of using seals. Right?"

"Yes, your right, Naruko," he praised, the barest nod of his head – but it was there. He was pleased! "In your spare time, I want you to look through this book. Having you proficient in seals would be very useful to me Naruko. You want to be useful to me don't you?"

Of course she did! She wanted nothing more! The tiny blonde girl looked over at the book that Orochimaru slid off the desk to his right side. It wasn't a new book by any means, in fact it looked old and well-worn. Was this a birthday present? From Orochimaru-sama himself!? Naruko felt her jaw quiver a little bit and she had to push back the emotional tears she could feel threatening to fall down her face. "I will be the most useful ninja you'll ever have! I'll read the whole book, and become a Master of Seals! I promise, Orochimaru-sama!"

"I hope you don't let me down, dear Naruko. Kabuto will be in charge of your training, this means, you'll have to leave to the bases that he needs to go to. You will obey Kabuto. You will listen to Kabuto, and when you return, you will prove yourself worthy to be one of my most prized ninja."

She would become the best ninja in existence. She would!

* * *

There were many things a newbie Ninja such as herself had to learn, and it wasn't easy – in actuality, it was very difficult. But she never stopped, she never faltered. She needed to be of use to Orochimaru-sama. She had to be. She made a promise, and one thing that she was starting to learn – was never to go back on a promise.

She had to build up endurance, she had to build up some form of muscle mass. The training for this was simply torture. She would wake up as soon as the dawn did, and was forced to partake in whatever new torture ritual Kabuto-senpai could think of next. It could be anything from hundreds of reps, to annoyingly complex trials which more often than not, ended up with her being incredibly tired.

She never let that tiredness affect her though, she couldn't. For the majority of her day after this though, she was to be left alone. Kabuto had many things he needed to see to being done, and none of them included her. He handed her a new exercise, a new technique to learn – and then he disappeared, expecting her to master it by the time he returned.

Kabuto-senpai liked to keep her very busy, but she didn't mind. He only wanted her to be great for Orochimaru-sama. This was all she wanted, and she would train, until she ran herself into the ground to achieve that.

So she flexed, she bent, she learned. She leaned a number of things, she learned Taijutsu, she learned the basics of Genjutsu – although, she could never seem to cast one herself, she could break out of them just fine. The fact that she wasn't able to cast an illusion though, had nearly brought her to tears. How would Orochimaru-sama want a ninja that couldn't cast an illusion?

She was trash. It didn't help that Kabuto-senpai refused to teach her any more about Genjutsu after he had learned of her inaptitude. He had told her that there were more useful ways to waste their time.

In wake of this, she learned how to walk on trees. And during a visit to their Southern Hideout, she also learned the difficult task of how to walk on water. She would always remember the words that Kabuto had spoken to her that day, after she had managed to fall into the ocean for the ninth time.

" _Useless. If you can't do this, how will you ever be of use to Orochimaru-sama? He'd be so disappointed to see this."_

He was right. Disappointed? How could she disappoint this great man? With this in mind, she trained for longer, slept for fewer hours than she already did. She would eat when required, but no longer went out of her way to source herself a mid-day meal. How could she eat when she was disappointing the great man, who saved her from her own death? She trained harder.

Seals was another point of her training; one that didn't move as fast as her others, no matter how long she stayed up at night pouring over the novel that her great leader had once gifted to her. They didn't make any sense, it was a squiggle of words, and the arching of lines – which by rights, shouldn't even happen.

The blonde was ashamed of her progress with seals, but that didn't stop her from commenting more of this book to memory, every single night. Some nights, she stayed up later in her frustration. Why was she so stupid? Orochimaru-sama had one wish for her, to master Seals. And what was she doing? Not comprehending the simplest of tasks!

The days where she woke with dark bags underneath her normally vibrant eyes, were the days she hated the most. Kabuto seemed to realize her failures more when they graced her face, and he never hesitated to point to how useless she was becoming. How Orochimaru-sama would never have a use for her if she continued on like this. She'd never become prized, or honored, or trusted.

She worked even harder, she trained until every bone in her body was aching for her to stop; and then she trained her mind. She memorized every single book on Sealing that she could grasp in her small tanned hands. She would be the best, she would be useful.

Naruko had no other options than this. The best was her only option, and if she couldn't be the best? Then what was she?

Useless.

So she continued to train with Kabuto, day in and day out, hoping one day that she'd be enough to please Orochimaru-sama.

* * *

Naruko POV

Aged; Nine

* * *

"Kabuto has informed me of your progress, Naruko. I confess, to wanting to be able to see it for myself."

Naruko knelled down one knee the picture of a subservient ninja, which she was. She was there and willing to lay her life down for Orochimaru-sama, the man to whom she owed her life. "I will do whatever you wish, Orochimaru-sama. How do you wish for me to prove myself worthy of you?"

The pale man stared down at her, his golden eyes cold and empty. The little girl flinched from the sight, his face remained impassive, and all she wanted was for it to fill with the approval that it did when she was younger. He had been so _pleased_ with her then. That was all that she needed, his _acceptance,_ his _pride_ in her.

"I have been crafting a band of young ninja, who show much promise as yourself, to protect me at all times. I want you to beat them; there is, so far, a total of three," Orochimaru-sama claimed, his eyes boring into her own. Of course, she would beat them – no one was w _illing_ enough, nor s _trong_ enough to defend him like she was! "Your first challenger will be Jirōbō, one of my chosen warriors."

The tall man swept one of his long arms behind him, and out of the shadows crept forward a boy that shouldn't have been much older than she was herself. Although he was very much taller than she was, and thicker – his entire body cover in muscle that didn't quite sit right on his young frame. Naruko locked eyes with the boy and his round face; and attempted a polite smile – which he did have the courtesy to return.

He appeared to be kind, she could see that in the softness of his eyes. Though, she knew with his size advantage, with him being easily double her size that she couldn't engage with hand-to-hand combat. Which was her strong suit.

Jirōbō walked forward slowly, his eyes watching her every non-move with hawk-like eyes. He really didn't want to lose, and it occurred to her, that he wanted to prove himself to Orochimaru-sama as well. He wanted to be as useful as she did and they both needed to put up a good fight. He'd already been selected though, she mused grimly. Based on more than just a Demon sealed inside of him that was for sure. She had to _prove_ that she was worthy of being by Orochimaru-sama's side!

"I do not need to tell you how important this fight is, do I?"

"Of course not, Orochimaru-sama," Naruko muttered, a reverent nod in his direction.

"Then begin," the passive words had hardly fallen from her idols mouth before the boy with orange hair began his assault. He charged at her, the muscle that one shouldn't have at such an age as theirs were flexing – taunting her. She wouldn't, _couldn't_ fall for something like this! She would not engage to hand to hand combat!

…But, what else could she do?! Naruko ducked under and flying fist, only to moments later have to throw herself backwards to avoid the knee that was coming uncomfortably close to her abdomen. Her hands touched the cold rock of the ground, before quickly righting herself in a twisty move.

Her own unique fighting style that she'd been developing with Kabuto-senpai relied on her twisting and meandering her body at impossible angles to avoid being hit, and being the one to _do_ the actual hitting. Flipping herself backwards to avoid being hit by the impossibly muscled boy, though, was not helping her.

All she was doing was dodging, avoiding being the target of his fists. Useless. She was being so useless. Though, she wasn't tiring of the movement – and she could see the irritation forming behind the once peaceful eyes he held. She continued to dodge, and twist herself out of harm.

Casting a stray glance over at her leader, she could see the boredom set in his expression. He was tiring of watching her merely run, she could see this. She just wanted to prove herself worthy! Making a grim decision, she pulled out a few of her kunai. The only weapon – other than Nin-Wire, that she allowed herself. She wasn't to crash hot at the other weapons, either.

Quickly, she disposed of her first kunai by throwing it at his ear. The boy moved his head slightly to the right, so he could avoid the incoming projectile with a frown, and he raised his eyebrow at her; like he was challenging her aim. The little knife embedded itself in the small wooden portion of Orochimaru-sama's chair. The only spot in the room where she could anchor her wire.

She did hope that he didn't kill her for that. The orange-eyed boy seemed to brush off her 'failure' to hit him, by charging at her again. This time, though, she was prepared. Judging by his movement, she assumed that he hadn't noticed the Nin-Wire that she had placed on the kunai, and had attached to the one she currently held.

Using the momentum that she had from him having to physically lean down to hit her small stature, she jumped up and pressed her foot on his large forearm before pushing herself over the top of him, and pulling her kunai closer to her.

All she heard was a grunt of pain, and a sickening thud as his body met the cold pavement beneath them. Naruko grimaced as the force wrenched her anchor out of Orochimaru-sama's chair (and oh, that wasn't a pretty sight). Wooden splinters from the chair dusted the ground, screaming for blood.

Glancing behind her for a moment, she could see the red lines crossing over his body, and the shirt he favored, looked torn in several places. To her shock though, he grabbed the wire and _pulled._ He didn't seem all that bothered by the red liquid seeping out of his hands where he grabbed the wire.

Naruko jolted forward to next to him, before realizing that she should have dropped the damn kunai. Once dropping the cursed object though, she stumbled, not having braced herself properly, and Jirōbō grabbed her exposed ankle with a grin. Naruko winced at the strength he held her down with, before she noticed something.

She was beginning to feel somewhat drained, and… were those wounds she inflicted starting to heal!? Naruko attempted to dislodge the boys grip on her ankle, only to make herself fall down in the attempts. The warm grip of this boy was far too strong for herself to be able to kick out of, and she panicked.

When Naruko panicked, and when her chakra was being drained from her body; there was only one outcome. Jirōbō started to scream. His screams were loud and piercing, and for a long moment, she didn't understand why he was screaming.

Until she felt _it._ A raw sort of power filled her, it was angry – it felt indignation. Glancing down at her caught ankle, she saw a red aura encompass the hand. This power was attacking the boy for taking hers. Was this? Was this the power of the Kyūbi? Had she finally managed to tap into his power source, after all this time?

The boy tried to let her ankle go, he tried to back away from her. But the aura, no, the Kyūbi was after blood. She could feel the blood lust permit her mind. This boy had attempted to make her look like a fool in front of Orochimaru-sama. How _dare_ he?!

On instinct, the red chakra reacted to her will. It grabbed the foolish boy via the hand that had been connected to her, and forming in a chain-like way, it threw him against the stone wall on the far side of the room. With the resounding wack as he slid down the wall, Naruko grinned.

The red power receded, deciding that the threat was over. Naruko turned from the heavily bruised boy and bowed once again, at Orochimaru-sama's feet. "Have I pleased you, Orochimaru-sama?"

"Yes. Excellent work Naruko," he praised, and she could see the excitement glint in his golden eyes. His _approving_ eyes. "What do you think, Sakon? Is she able to be part of your growing team?"

A boy, the looked the same age as the one she just defeated – mere years ahead of her, stepped out of the shadows behind Orochimaru. There was another boy behind him, they were touching, and nearly identical in their straight, dark grey hair and pale, wiry frames. "She appears to be lesser trash than other ninja you offer, Orochimaru-sama. We will take her, if you please."

Orochimaru nodded his head approvingly, his wide smile showing off his pointed teeth – not that Sakon responded with anything other than other than a blank smile. "Introduce her to the other members of the Sound Squad. My elite fighting squadron."

"As you please, Orochimaru-sama. Come girl, we have much to discuss," the lanky boy said in a no-nonsense sort of tone, as he walked right passed her. Naruko's eyes fell on the orange haired boy… Would he be alright?

Of course he would, Orochimaru, the great and powerful, wouldn't leave one of his ninja to suffer in pain. Of course he wouldn't! Naruko hurriedly bowed once more to Orochimaru before hurrying out after the much taller boy. She didn't want to lose him after all.

It took a bit of jogging to keep up with the long strides of Sakon and the other boy, his brother, maybe? But she felt it would be worth it. Orochimaru had given her a _team._ She was useful! "I am Sakon, this is my twin, Ukon. We are the leader of this squad. We are being specifically trained to be Orochimaru-sama's elite ninja. He has desires of you joining us; and I don't see a problem with that considering how well you took down Jirōbō."

"I'm Naruko," she replied, smiling slightly, but still secretly annoyed with how much she had to jog to keep up. "My only desire is to serve Orochimaru-sama to the best of my abilities."

"Why?" the questioned pierced her. He didn't even seem to notice that she had given him her name.

"Nine years ago, Orochimaru-sama saved me from certain death by my village; I owe him my life," Naruko confessed, not at all very bothered by his dry sort of questioning. He eyed her for a moment, before rolling his eyes.

"There's no way you expect me to think your _nine,_ little girl. You hardly could pass or a five year old with that height," he scoffed.

Naruko's eye twitched. "Shut up! I'm still growing, something extremely common in those our age!"

"Whatever you say, _little girl_."

* * *

"The mission is to suppress the wild animals in the woods near our borders, an order direct from the Daimyō," Sakon informed the small team who were gathered in a circle, each looking at the faces of the other. "It is hereby classified as a C-rank mission. Also, our first 'official' mission together as a team. We are going to be the _elite_ of Otogakure. We _must_ prove ourselves beyond the trash of the other ninja in this village."

Naruko nodded her head slowly, she agreed. She really did not want to become useless in the eyes of their glowing leader. She couldn't disappoint him. "The working of a decent team, which the four of us – the _Sound Four,_ will become. Hinges on this mission. Are we clear!?"

"Should we uh, introduce ourselves, maybe?" Naruko chimed in, feeling kind of nervous surrounded by the ninja. They were all obviously a bit older than her. But she would prove herself useful, she would!

"I already know all your names _little girl_ , why would we need to do that?" Sakon asked, raising one of his eyebrows chillingly – a smile resting on his smug face. Naruko kind of wanted to punch him, but she refrained.

"My name isn't _little girl,_ it's Naruko. And I'm only a year younger than you," Naruko felt the need to re-inform him, her tone haughty. "Plus, not all of us know each other. Mr Leader."

Sakon rolled his eyes at her, before gesturing to the boy next to him with a nod of his head. The boy had dark skin and black, shaggy hair that hung around his head like an avenging halo. That wasn't the interesting part though. It was the fact that he had six arms. "I'm Kidōmaru. In case you haven't noticed, I have six arms, which adds to my difficulty as a player. I have no doubts in this hand selected team, that we will be able to complete a mission of this level."

Naruko nodded her head cheerfully, her twin pigtails at the sides of her head bouncing. Which in hindsight, was most likely why they all thought she was so much younger than she was. "Well, as I said before, my name is Naruko," she said, a deceptively cheerful smile gliding over her features. "I'm glad to be trusted by Orochimaru-sama to be given any sort of missions by him. Oh, and don't try and suck my chakra out – it bites."

Sakon was the one to shiver at her cheerful words of warning, and the girl next to her, with wild, dark pink haired gave her a strange look. "Right, I'm Tayuya. The first thing you should know about me, is that I don't lose. I'm not going to start losing either. So you all need to pull your weight. Hear me?"

"Excellent!" Sakon clapped his bony-looking hands together in a bored why-am-I-here sort of fashion. "Now that you've gotten your way, little girl-."

"I'm not that short!" Naruko snapped, cutting him off with her temper. "Shut up!"

"-we can leave for the border. The animals that are attacking seem to be bear-like creatures, and therefore, any long-ranged moves should be used against them," he continued like he hadn't heard Naruko's angry rant over her height. "We need to get this done quickly. I don't want to have to do any D-rank missions when we come back. Those chain things of your will be useful, midget."

Naruko frowned, not knowing exactly how to pull them back out. But she would, heaven forbid, she would get those chains to work for her again, and she would use them to destroy all of those damned animals. Naruko said nothing in reply though, her frown, and Tayuya's curiosity were enough.

* * *

The Sound Four very quickly began to make a name for themselves, despite the age of all those included. They were quick, they were powerful – and most of all, they were strong. They never failed a task put before them. Even if they almost failed the mission that required them to cut down cane.

They really weren't that type of squad either. I didn't take long before all the others in the main Village started to view them as the unofficial 'leaders' of the military force. Considering the team consisted on four (five, technically) ten year olds; this said a lot about their considerable skills. There functioned well, they never failed (excluding the time that they were enlisted to work on a farm.) Then; they gained a new team member and things began to _change_.

Naruko remembered the first time she saw the boy with white hair, and strange red dots on his face. She'd been terrified, to put it bluntly. She fully remembered the orange-haired boy that she'd defeated to get a spot on this team. The blonde also understood that in terms of current strength, she ranked at the bottom of the team. She didn't want to be deemed useless, and be thrown off the team.

Which is what she was certain was going to happen. Then something awe-strikingly amazing happened, he bet Sakon. This was impossible in itself; as none of them had ever managed this feat. It was decided in this second, that he was by far the most powerful ninja among the six of them. It was also at this moment, where she realized that she had a lot of ground to cover if she wanted back on this team.

A moment passed and the formation of the Sound _Five_ was formed. She was absolutely delighted to note that she hadn't been thrown off the team, and was still able to prove her worth. This boy, this white haired boy, was someone to aspire to be like though; the reason why?

He was going to be Orochimaru-sama's next body. An honor like that was something that she would never be able to have, because of the Demon sealed inside her. Still, Naruko decided to attach herself to Kimimaru and try and learn as much as she could about the boy.

They slowly began to form an oddly dysfunctional relationship, which Naruko would become to treasure like the one she shared with the great Orochimaru. It was though, with the entrance of Kimimaru though – entered the existence of the Cursed Seal. Orochimaru had already decided that the white-haired boy wouldn't be branded because he was to be his next body, but the rest of the Sound Five – they were allowed to partake in this seal.

The day that they were all to be branded came quite quickly; and the team were gathered together in a room with high walls, and no see able doors. Despite the fact that she fully well knew the door had to be there because she just entered through the damn thing. They were trapped, and Naruko started to feel dread sink in her stomach.

Then Orochimaru entered the room, his black hair swaying behind him, not even bothering to hide his positive mood. Yes, they were doing this for him. With that in mind the unease began to ebb away, until it was nothing more than a distant memory. "This my dear students, is what I call my 'Cursed Seal' and if it takes to you; you will be granted powers beyond what you normally might be able to handle," Orochimaru began softly, the hint of a piercing smile playing on the edges of his mouth. "Of course, that is if you are able to survive. Only the strongest can undertake this seal. You four are my strongest. Are you ready?"

Naruko tried her best not to let the news affect her. Only the strongest? She was strong, sure. Was she going to be strong enough to allow this Seal of unparalleled power? Of course she was, for Orochimaru-sama, anything. She would take this Seal, it granted the user amazing power, hadn't someone told her this?

It was with the feeling of trepidation, that she watched her most beloved Leader lean into her team mate's necks – and bite. Naruko winced as he chomped down on Sakon, as he shuddered lightly before starting to convulse. Was this really safe? If Sakon looked like he was having trouble with it, how would she fare? When her power was not at all comparable with his?

Naruko wanted to say she didn't want this Seal. She wanted to speak up and quite plainly say, that she didn't think the risk was worth it. But, when Orochimaru-sama was standing in front of her, his golden eyes glinted with pride, she swallowed her words and offered him her neck.

He took one simple bite, his fangs ripping the delicate skin apart. The blonde girl did her best not to shudder, she was doing this for him. He was proud of her for doing this as well, she could see his pride written so clearly on his face. Blue eyes blinked as she watched Orochimaru hasten to leave the room after he finished branding them. Why was he leaving them?

Before she could further peruse this line of thought, she was in capitulated by the burn on the side of her neck. Glancing down, she saw a black swirl cover the side of her neck, but this ink felt like its job was to burn her skin off. Was it meant to hurt this much? Was it? Was it?

Watching as her team mates fell, one after the other in a dead faint was enough to make her nervous. Being the last one to get marked, she assumed allowed her the time to observe the others fall. She quietly readied herself for the torment that was sure to follow when she followed them into oblivion. Except, it didn't happen as fast as she thought it was going to.

All she felt was fire, pure and utter pain – and then, anger. It wasn't a feeling she was unaccustomed to, but it wasn't one she thought she'd be feeling in this situation. She could feel the burning of the mark _fighting_ against the passionate anger rearing its head inside herself.

A splitting headache formed in her mind and she fell to her knees, clutching her head like it would ease some of her suffering if she did so. There were so many spots in her body that ached, that burned, that fought. She could hardly stand it, why? Why was this happening? She felt another flash of rage. Her eyes opening wide as they focused on her unconscious team.

Was this because she was weak? She was the weakest of the team, and the rest of them hadn't reacted like this. Was this because she was what they fought most often, trash Ninja? Fighting to suppress the tears welling in her eyes, Naruko groaned. This couldn't be – it hurt! It burned!

Not being able to stop herself, she let out a small cry of pain. Why was Orochimaru-sama putting her through this? Was she not good enough? It was as if the questioning had triggered something with the deep recesses of her mind, and she was dragged down into blackness.

Naruko struggled, assuming she had fainted like the rest of the Sound Five only to be burdened with opening her eyes again in a completely different setting. Glancing down curiously, she realized that her feet were basically covered in green-coloured sludge that might have previously been water, once upon a time. Trailing up, she saw what appeared to be old, rusted bars – forming a cage, the curious thing about this dissipated cage though, was the giant Seal plastered across the part where it was meant to open.

It was a sewer, she realized after a good few moments. The real question that was haunting the now ten year old though, was; why is she in a sewer? And how in Kami's name had she managed to get in here? The last thing she remembered was the burn of the Seal Orochimaru-sama had placed on her, coupled with the sharp sting of hatred coursing through her veins. Now she felt nothing. Her hand flew to where the Seal should have rested, not that she would have been able to feel it in the first place.

"So I finally meet my Jailer. The brat who has been stealing my power," a deep voice grumbled from behind the bars. The tone was filled with malice, and the implications of said malice, made the blue-eyed girl take more than one step back. "The idiot who allowed themselves to be _branded,_ with something they knew nothing about."

"Orochimaru-sama would never purposefully injure me," she responded, feeling somewhat ashamed of her reckless actions when faced by the booming voice. Stealing his power? This couldn't be…?

Round eyes widened drastically when they saw a flick of one mighty, red tail, followed by another eight of them. Suddenly, like a spell had been broken on her eyesight – she could see a fox, easily triple the size of the biggest building of Sound, just sitting there – red tails of power casually flickering about everywhere. This was the thing that she had inside of her?

"I highly doubt that, you idiot. That man is a bloody _snake,"_ the fox said harshly, pulling his lips back to reveal his sharp set of teeth, slightly yellowed. She couldn't fault him for that, she didn't think that foxes did much brushing. "Or more importantly, the fact that the seal he placed on you was in the process of killing you. Incompetent fool! If I, the mighty nine-tailed fox, hadn't imminently started to remove the mark – you'd be a dead Squirrel."

"Are you calling me a Squirrel?" The girl demanded, quite annoyed to have any connotations with the small animal. "Wait. You stopped Orochimaru-sama's Seal?! Why would you do that!? I would have rather die before I disappoint him! You put it back on, fox!"

The Kyūbi growled at her, his hackles rising in anger. "I will not have your idiocy killing us this early in the game. No. You bumbling fool!"

"You only saved me to save yourself!" Naruko accused the fox, her eyes narrowed and angry. How was she to know that the fox had such controls over her body!? "You will _undo_ what you've done; or so help me-!"

"We're done here, incompetent Squirrel. If you allow another brand on your skin, you don't need to be reminded. I will strip you of it," The fox dismissed her. Naruko's face twisted into an ugly scowl. But before she could shout any words of anger, she was back in the darkness and waking up.

When the girl once again opened her eyes, she was back in the room with her team mates, her very awake – very angry looking team mates. They had their eyes locked together, in a will of battle. Each one of them had black lines inked into their skin, a different pattern though, which the girl quickly assumed was due to personality difference.

Opening her eyes though, forced the feuding trio of Ninja to turn and face her – disbelief written clearly on each of their faces. Glancing down, Naruko was able to witness the curse Seal literally slide off her skin into a puddle of black ink by her feet. Naruko gulped, but it was Sakon who was the first to say anything. "Orochimaru-sama said it killed you, or empowered you. What have you done?"

Naruko knew she shouldn't look away, but when he was looking at her with such eyes…. "My body rejected it. It didn't want it," Naruko replied, trying to be as honest as she could. Her words, seemed to put some ease in her teammates, as the lines on their faces started to recede.

What kind of power would write lines onto the faces of her teammates?

* * *

Naruko POV

Age: 12

* * *

"Naruko-chan, come here. I have something important to discuss with you."

The growing blonde looked up from her handy work, it wasn't every day that she managed to completely massacre the entire field of training dummies. Orochimaru was standing there, not looking very impressed with her latest accomplishment. "Next time, go destroy someone and not the training equipment," he stated dryly, his face an impassive mask of ice.

She bowed her head lightly, biting her lip to stop the sarcastic retort that she was just dying to say. Her beloved leader wouldn't very much like it if she was to give him any form of cheek. He was much too important and busy to be held up with her; a girl of hardly twelve. "Yes, Orochimaru-sama. It won't happen again, Sir. I promise."

"Good. I have decided on a mission for you, Naruko-chan. It was be classed as S-Rank. …a spying mission if you will," Orochimaru claimed, his eyes narrowing into slits when they looked at her. Naruko wanted to argue that she wouldn't make a very god spy, she wasn't that good at it. None of the Sound Fiv- _Four_ , were. It just wasn't what they were trained to do. "You will use your connections through your birth to infiltrate Konoha."

Naruko couldn't help but wrinkle her nose in distaste. Why on earth would anyone willingly go to the sort of hell-hole? Almost as if sensing her question, the black-haired man frowned. "With Kimimaru ill-suited to become my next body, I find myself in the need of another. You, Naruko, will find my next body. You will befriend him. You will poison his mind against Konoha. When you have; I will offer him all of his desires. Which you of course, must find out."

Naruko nodded her head, eager to be of use for a task such as this one. It was such an honor! She, Namikaze Naruko had the job of procuring Orochimaru-sama's next vessel. Even if the vermin came from Konoha, if Orochimaru-sama thought him worth their time, worth becoming his next body – then he must be. "What is the name of the boy I am to hunt, Orochimaru-sama?"

The man's eyes glinted, in a way that made him appear truly crazy, and his sharp white teeth gleamed in the distance. "His name? Uchiha Sasuke!"

* * *

OUT TAKES

Icha-Icha

"Tayuya, do you want to train with me? I want to sharpen my skills before my S-Rank," Naruko asked, her blonde hair bounding behind her. The girl of her attentions, sprawled along the couch in their shared living room. The girl with dark-pink hair didn't even look up at the proclamation of a dangerous mission, or training. Instead, her eyes remained glued on the words of a little orange book.

"Tayuya?" she tried again, this time getting seriously annoyed that she was being ignored. "Hey! Listen to me!"

Not getting another response, she marched over to the girl trying to look as incriminating as her four foot frame would make her and snatched the book right out of the distracted girl's grasp. Blue eyes hardly had to take in the title of the book 'Icha Icha' before she had to take a few steps back.

The only other female member of the Sound Four launched to her feet, eyes wide and crazily focused on the stolen book in the blonde girl's clutches. "Give it back midget," she snapped. "That isn't for kids."

Naruko scowled darkly at the jib towards her rather pathetic height. "I'm only a year younger than you," she pushed herself out of the older girl's range, when she attempted to lunge at her for the book. "What's so entertaining about this book anyway? You don't read."

"I can read," she hissed, her eyes narrowing into slits. "Most books are just boring – give that back-!"

Ignoring Tayuya now, she flipped open the book to a random page; side stepping out of the older girls range when she attempted to lunge and snatch the book out from her grasp again. Naruko's blue eyes focused on the first paragraph on the page.

' _-Haru stared at the body of the unsoiled vixen before him, a predatory look gracing his eyes. Rae-chan would be all his by the end of the night, twisted for his pleasure, moaning his name; Haru could feel his member harden at-'_ Naruko froze her eyes wide, and a bright red wave overtook her naturally tanned skin. She didn't even notice the book being plucked out of her hands by a pink cheeked girl.

Naruko looked at her in horror. "…I said it wasn't for kids."

"My eyes! Y-you…"

"Will you idiots shut up? We're trying to concentrate," Sakon entered the room, a disapproving look on his face. He stood still for a moment, glancing between his two female team members of his team; pink and red, respectively. "What happened to you two?"

"She's a pervert!" Naruko claimed, arm jutting out to point at the older girl dramatically, clutching her eyes shut like it would make the words she'd read go away.

"Oh, you got the new one?"

Naruko had to clutch her ears as she scurried out of the room so that she didn't have to hear any more about Haru and Rae.

* * *

 _Preview_ ~

 _Naruko nodded her head, momentarily too wrapped up in the taste of these amazing noddles to register the use of her first name. Coming back to herself rather quickly, she positioned her chopsticks so that in one lunge, and it would go through that rather large pulsing vein in his neck. "Aw, I even introduced you to Ramen and what? You try to kill me?"_

…

" _Impossible! He's better than Sasuke-kun!" Sakura, the pink-haired little girl muttered. "That's…"_

 _Naruko's grin widened._


	2. Chapter 2

**Of All Fate's Design's**

 **Chapter 2 – Infiltrating Konoha**

* * *

 _ **Naruko POV**_

 _ **The Land of Hot Water**_

* * *

Attempting to find a way to get into Konoha, was admittedly, not going to be quite as simple as she had previously assumed. Orochimaru-sama had also, made the undertaking sound easy; he had told her that security in the village was lacking. The girl, however, was smart enough to realise that getting into the village wasn't enough. She needed to be 'caught' but a Konoha ninja who could recognise her parents within her, otherwise she would never be allowed near the Uchiha.

Many training Ninja were better covered, and protected than any other sort of Ninja. It would look suspicious if she just suddenly turned up; out of the blue, and started to demand to be friends with the boy. No, she also needed to be accepted into the Academy. She was certain this was where almost every other ninja her age were. In Konoha, they had this crazy rule about not gradating before they were thirteen. It was a waste in her opinion, they could have been running missions at an age so much earlier. Why on earth would they have such a silly restriction?

Such trash, the lot of them. Regardless, this boy was to be her mighty leader's new vessel. Therefore this marked him as not-trash, that just so happened to be, surrounded by trash. Naruko sighed tiredly, deciding the best option for her was just to go take a bath – after all, standing around a corner and scowling at people passing her by was getting her nowhere. She'd heard tales of awe from Tayuya about how amazing baths were in this Village she was currently in. It was practically all they were good for, if she were to be believed.

With this in mind, and deciding that cleanliness was key to a well-functioning mind, she went off in the search of the nearest Hot Spring. She needn't have travelled far though, because there had been so many of these things littered around the village that it was outstanding that they even had anything else. Granted, she could fully understand that this place was pretty much barren of anything other than Hot Springs for a reason. These ones were all natural and not man-built. Which would evidently, make them all that much better.

A grin filtered over her face as she approached the Hot Spring, the idea of being fully cleansed, appealing to her after the few days trek it had taken her to get here. She missed the company of her team, she sighed. Just as she was about to push the door forward and enter the place of her newest desires, she heard a loud yell.

Turning so she could see what it was about, she saw a horde (well, it was only three, but still,) of women who were clutching bath towels – admittedly in the wrong way if they were intending of covering anything up, and chasing a man with long white hair. She had dismissed the situation as not worth her time, just a pervert being hunted by women with nothing better to do, when a glint of silver caught her attention.

The man had a Hitaite, and the half visible symbol – greatly resembled a leaf. She had found her first Konoha ninja! Realising that she had to accidently stumble across the man, Naruko groaned and threw a pleading and somewhat miserable look at the entrance. If she didn't follow now, she was sure to lose this man. She had never been a good sensor, no, that had been Kidomaru's specialty. She needed to follow him now, and she lamented, he might not even be able to recognise her – or have the power to get her back into Konoha.

Not that she really wanted to be in that vile place, but, for Orochimaru-sama… She sighed again before lifted herself onto a nearby roof and using that as an easy way to catch up with her running prey. When she got close enough to actually be discovered, she jumped down from the roof into a tiny alleyway and exited. The man, now that she could get a good look at him, had extremely long white hair, nearing the length that hers was at. He had this sort of aged vibe around him, and two little fang-like lines dripping down his face.

She didn't recognise him, but that didn't mean he wouldn't recognise her. Stepping forward, she was slightly shocked that the man, who was previous out of breath – a cheeky grin of triumph filtered over his face, looked right at her the second she walked into the street. He raised one eyebrow at the girl, assessing her. Naruko's lips thinned, not particularly sure that he would recognise her as the daughter of the Yondaime Hokage.

He gave her a bright nod, and a friendly wink, before going back to being exhausted from his run. Trash. Naruko wasn't very such why she assumed people would recognise her, and getting back into a village of people who wished to kill her, didn't really seem like a good reason. But she had to, for Orochimaru. With a sigh, deciding this Ninja to be a bust, she marched off down the lane in search of another Hot Spring.

She'd get her bath at least. Maybe she should relocate her search efforts, perhaps, the Land of Tea? Or would that be too close? With a groan of frustration, she spotted another Hot Spring, and this time she didn't let an errant shout extract her from her goal. What a waste of good time that had been.

The Village of Hot Water, Naruko decided, had better food than Sound did. Back home, they didn't have any food-making professionals. It was all cut and dry, you eat the thing, and don't bother with spice or anything like that. Looking down at the menu of the little tea house that was a little bit out-of-the way, she had no idea what to order.

It wasn't like she could simply order rice. It was on the menu sure; but, there was at seventeen different dishes that had the name 'rice' in it. Why did she leave Sound for an extended period of time, anyway? "Have you tried the Ramen? It's rather nice here."

The young girls head snapped up, folding the menu in half like she was going to throw it at whomever had managed to sneak up on her. Her eyes locked with a very cheerful, if not heavily lined face. The glint of the forehead protector caught her attention, and she frowned. He hadn't recognised who she was – so why was he here, obviously having tracked her down? "I cannot say that I've ever tried Ramen, actually," she said, attempting to be somewhat civil. Her mind though, was busy concocting a verity of different reasons he could have tacked her down.

The man had taken this nicety as licence to take the seat opposite her. They should get around to making tables that would only seat one, it would be so much more useful, and she wouldn't have this problem in the future. "I once had a student, who was obsessed with Ramen. Then, there was his girlfriend, who loved it twice as much as he did. They even named their kid after a topping," he grinned at her, his eyes never leaving her face, and she frowned at him.

Why was he telling her, a stranger, this? "I see. Then I should try it, I guess. If your old student and his wife loved it so much," she hadn't intended for the sarcasm to leak through her voice, but it did.

"Get miso," he suggested in a voice that could be construed as somewhat sage-like. Naruko attempted not to roll her eyes as she waved the waitress down; which would have been easier if this man hadn't been there eyeing the waitresses off like meat and making them uncomfortable. After a light struggle, she had placed her order and quite quickly had a bowl of steaming noodles placed in front of her.

Grabbing the pair of offered chopsticks from the waitress, she poked the concoction warily. It didn't look very appetizing. Before she even thought to take a bit, she turned back to the Konoha Ninja. "Who are you? It's annoying to keep calling you 'that Konoha Ninja' in my head."

The man grinned at her, letting out a very soulful sounding laugh. "Ah, children," his grin widened, and a flat look filtered over her face. This _trash_ though she was but a mere child!? "I am the legendary Jirayia of the Sannin!"

Naruko blinked, this was the great Orochimaru-sama's team mate? From what she could recall about the man, from what she'd been told; this was a terrifying opponent, manipulating and inherently cruel. She would have to watch her step very carefully around this man. But wait… "Didn't you teach the Forth Hokage?" If this was true, then, why hadn't he recognised her? Did she honestly not resemble the man? She thought the shock of blindly blonde hair, and the crystal blue eyes she had were carbon copies of the man who had sired her. Had her information been wrong? No, Orochimaru-sama had told her this, he was always right.

"Hmm, yeah. I think I might have, but, I've done so much things that are greater than that!" he claimed, after only a brief pause his eyes glinting with some humorous secret. "Eat the Ramen kid. You'll love it."

Obediently, she draped the noodles around her chopsticks and took a bite. Her eyes widening the second the noodles touched her mouth. These were amazing! The best food she would ever taste! This was-! Not wasting any more time with chit-chat she quickly devoured the whole bowl. They _needed_ this stuff in Sound. She needed to find a recipe and then learn how to cook.

She had burnet the rabbit at least three times before the rest of the Sound Four had stopped letting her cook their meals. But for this, this was worth the torturous hours of learning. "Like it do you, Naruko?"

Naruko nodded her head, momentarily too wrapped up in the taste of these amazing noddles to register the use of her first name. Coming back to herself rather quickly, she positioned her chopsticks so that in one lunge, and it would go through that rather large pulsing vein in his neck. "Aw, I even introduced you to Ramen and what? You try to kill me?"

Naruko didn't move the chopsticks. Had she been wrong? Had the man knew who she was the entire time? Why hadn't he come out and just said it? What was he plotting? Her death?! "How do you know that name?"

"Well, I _told_ you my student named his kid after a Ramen topping," Jirayia confessed, not looking very bothered by the fact that she was holding a weapon on him. This man was underestimating her; a girl, which at the age of ten had completed over five B-Rank missions! And was doing an S-Rank one! "And to be completely honest with you; your pretty much a carbon, slightly more feminine version of Minato." He leaned forward, interest lighting up his face. "You gave it away when you asked me if I had taught the Fourth. What I want to know, is where you've been and how you remember your heritage."

"Travelling, I guess," Naruko shrugged, cursing her choice of back stories. This hadn't gone as she planned, he didn't think she was an innocent girl stumbling upon hope, no. He wanted to know what she was up to. She should have known this would happen. "The man that… raised me somewhat told me of my parentage. I wasn't exactly thrilled to go back to a Village that didn't contain them though," she lied. Hopefully he just thought of her as a lost, and slightly clueless young girl.

The Sannin nodded his head thoughtfully. Naruko wondered if he actually knew where she'd been for the last few years. Orochimaru-sama had told her that he'd killed everyone that saw him, but did that mean they still didn't know? "What are you doing here, then?"

"I heard from my friend that this place had the best natural Hot Springs, and I wanted to try them out," she used a common excuse that could actually be highly plausible. After all this village was famous for their Hot Springs. "Then I saw you and decided to investigate," she added on, her mind spinning in at least three different outcomes from saying this. "It's not every day I get to observe an actually qualified Ninja."

"Actually qualified Ninja?"

Naruko grinned. "I've been trained by a number of people to protect myself, and I think I'm rather good at it – considering I travel alone and I'm unscratched. If I had a Village; I think I would have trained to be a Ninja," she confessed, her lips curling – attempting to keep her face neutral. "I've done pretty well for myself despite that."

"…I might have a proposition for you."

Success.

* * *

 **Naruko POV**

 **Konoha**

* * *

It had only been too easy. One moment she was in a tea house, trying to figure out if this white-haired ninja would recognise her, and the next moment she was being pulled into Konoha and pushed before the Hokage. Honestly, they couldn't trust her so inexplicably just based on what she said her parented was?

Maybe it was because of that damned fox, she realised. They had wanted to kill her to have the chance to kill it. Perhaps that was why they let her back in so easily, they wanted to kill her. No, Orochimaru-sama would never let her come back to Konoha if he thought they'd kill her. It must be because she was older and able to control the beast somewhat, they simply wanted to use her for her power.

That had to be it. Nothing else would make much sense. Naruko walked behind the old man, and through the village she had been born in. Her first impression of the place was that it was simply extremely big. She'd spotted no more than thirteen families and she'd only been in five minutes of the village. They had cute little houses, with garden beds that housed dozens of brightly coloured blossoms.

When passing through what she had to assume would be the market area, she wished she had at least two more heads. Hey, if Kidōmaru could have six arms, then she should be able to have three heads. There were so many different shops, each owner holding some form of their product and holding it out – shouting at customers to come in and try it. She smelt a dozen different spices, and spied over a good dozen different types of fruit that she'd never encountered before. Glancing over brightly coloured silk, and aging lady tried to pass Jiraiya, she frowned.

She had no idea that silks and clothes even really came in such shades, of course; as a ninja they really weren't all that practical. Still, that was a rather nice shade of orange. She could remember the first time she saw a shade of orange, when witness the dawn break during training, and she still had never found a colour that was as appealing as that one. Naruko was almost disappointed to finish walking through the market area.

Never the less, she didn't do so much as pout. She continued to follow behind the legendary ninja, her eyes glancing and jumping through other things. Glancing her eyes skyward, she saw a team of young ninja, maybe a few years older than she was, jumping across the rooves, heading for the biggest building she'd ever seen. Was that the Hokage's office? Wasn't it a bit obvious where he was? Where was the security in this design?

That was her destination, she thought frowning, thinking about her team. She missed them sure, she had done every mission she ever had with her team. She was meant to be the weakest to, she mused, and yet, the first to manage an S-Rank mission. Granted, she only got it because of her birth connection to this village. Wasn't it humorous that she wanted to see the village in the Land of Fire, burn?

Attempting to stifle her grin, she allowed herself to be lead through two big grand doors. The first thought she had upon entering was that, there were a lot of ninja in the room. There were three desks situated against every wall, expect one that held an ordinate door. What was the point in these desks?

Squinting a bit, she read the little descriptive places elegantly placed in front of rather hazard looking Ninja. Most likely Chunin, she reasoned. _Assignments, Salary Slips, Reports._ They all seemed like perfectly reasonable things to have a different person man, actually, and it most likely freed the Hokage up to do more important things with his time. This must have been where Orochimaru-sama came up with his idea; though granted, he had one person doing all three of these things.

Jiraiya waved to a few of the ninja in the room cheerfully pulling her along behind him. She had been curious as to why he was so insistent that she wore a long hood over her face, but, she could see why. Everyone in this room seemed to know and idolise him to some point. He was trying to protect her? Not start a riot was the more likely answer, but, still. She followed him through the door, and started on the wooden stairs. During their way up, she noted that there were some additional doors that Jirayia seemed to ignore, so she did the same thing, figuring it was sort of required.

Finally they came to a landing, which was a round sort of room, with another bloody door. This Hokage enjoyed his doors, didn't he? Situated next to the door was a rather large looking desk, but with a withdrawn sort of woman sitting daintily behind the Mahoney wood. The woman, and her swallow cheeks gave them an irritated glare as they approached, and it honestly didn't look like she was having a very good day.

Jiraiya was either oblivious of the woman's mood, or simply didn't care. Naruko thought it was the latter. "Is Sensei free?" he asked the woman as cheerfully as he could possibly imagine, and it was terrifying.

The lady's already quite thin lips, thinned out even more – forcing the short blonde to conclude that it did look like she wasn't in possession of any form of lips. "He's not in a meeting at the moment," she began her voice quite frosty. "But that doesn't mean-."

Jiraiya didn't wait for her to finish her sentence before he was pulling open the door, and dragging Naruko in behind him. "-you can go just in… Does no one make appointments anymore?"

Naruko now understood why he ignored the lady. Forgetting about the sour woman, she glanced around the room. With the wide empty space she stood, there was plenty of room to see the massive desk spanning at least a fourth of the room. Behind that was one of the largest windows she'd ever seen; it had a great view of the village she'd just travelled through. The main view was of this massive mountain that she hadn't paid too much attention to before now, the Hokage Monument. Blue eyes narrowed at the sight of the Fourth's head. Her farther. It was surprising, he didn't _look_ like a deranged baby-killer.

That just sought to teach her the lesson to never take anyone at face value. "Sensei!" Jiraiya greeted happily, throwing his arms out in greeting, a sly grin working over his face. "Have you gotten a copy of my latest book? I sent it to you last week; it's got a real good premise, this one!"

The man, the Hokage who had a pipe dangling from his lips, coughed lightly. His winkled face looking down at his student with some sort of affection. This guy, was extremely old. "As Hokage, I can't read that sort of thing," the Hokage coughed one more time, a smile playing around the corners of his mouth before he covered it up.

"Aw, come on! Student Seducing Sensei! It's an alliteration, what more can we want in _epic_ titles, and the writing is my best yet!" Jiraiya continued, and Naruko wondered if he remembered the exact reason he'd come to the Hokage –her.

"I don't believe you've introduced me to your newest charge. Taking on yet _another_ apprentice, Jiraiya?" The Hokage asked, completely ignoring Jiraiya's claims. Was this man an author? Was he any good?

"Ah Sensei, just wait till you see this one!" he teased, before knocking the hood off Naruko's face without so much as a warning. Naruko scowled up at the older man. He was lucky she didn't put a kunai through his hand. Refocusing on the man that she needed to charm to get into the Academy, she saw his pipe fall out of his mouth.

Her mind was racing, what if this didn't work? What would he see? Would he see a young girl, a bit on the shorter side, with long locks of blonde hair, and bright blue eyes? With three strange whisker marks scarring her cheeks? Would he see an innocent angel? Would he see her tanned skin, and training scars and think her a solider? Would he take the pigtails in and see innocence?

"N-Naruko? This… This isn't possible!" The Hokage said, finally coming back to himself, and cutting off her mind ramblings.

"Oh, it's her Sensei," Jiraia confimed. "I made sure of it. Honestly. It's almost like you don't trust me."

"Tell me," The Hokage was again ignoring the white-haired man. He pouted and Naruko somewhat doubted the validity of the statement after that little act. "What is your name? Do you have any proof of your claims? As heavy as they are?"

Naruko already respected this Hokage more than the white-haired guy. At least he was asking questions. Not taking her a face value, this man was what she'd expected to encounter. Not the 'she likes Ramen so she must be', type questioning. "My name is Namikaze Naruko. I was born here during the attack of the Kyūbi. I know this, because I have the beast sealed within me – and he told me so."

"You have contact with the Kyūbi?" The Hokage sat back in his chair, his eyes wide, his face was distrustful. Ah, she had figured this would be a ticket to pass off all her knowledge, but now he was worried about that damn fox influencing her. He didn't have to worry, it wasn't like they were on talking terms anyway.

"When I have a near-death experience I get pulled up to meet him. He tries to convince me to set him free most of the time; but he's told me other things," she responded with a forced grin. It was too easy. Watching as the Hokage relaxed at the previous statement like she'd planned. She'd insulated a talent to get out of near-death experience, and a distain about the idea of releasing him.

Ha. Who said she wasn't smart? "I suppose you've had a decent few challenges surviving on your own," The Hokage conceded.

"Yes," Naruko responded, the honesty in her voice startled even her. "I've gotten quite good at defending myself. Now, I find myself curious about my birth village. If you'll have me, that is."

"I'd say that Jiraiya here has already offered you a place in this village," he spoke with berley concealed affection. "I will extend the same thing to you, Naruko-chan. I hope you find what you're looking for here, in Konoha. It's a place for happiness."

Naruko had to force herself not to roll her eyes at the last part. Happiness? Konoha? There were two words that didn't go together in unison. Naruko bit her lip thoughtfully "A-actually, Hokage-sama. I was wondering, that, maybe I could… You see I've been learning to defend myself forever. I think, well I was hoping that with your permission that I could attend the Ninja Academy?" The earnestness on her face, was award-winning, as was the speech she just gave.

Maybe she could be cut out for spying missions, she'd gotten so far already. "Well, I can't see the harm in it. To study the art of the Ninja in the place of your parents. It will be a hard task; if you join your age group, you'll have a lot of catching up to do," he warned.

She smiled sweetly. "I'm a fast study!"

"Then it can be arranged," The Hokage conceded graciously. "I'll have to ask you to enroll in a name other than Namikaze though. The stir that would cause in not only our populations, but our enemies if they thought we had another Namikaze in the works..."

"Uzumaki," Naruko grinned, almost too cheerfully. "Uzumaki Naruto."

"You wish to change your first name as well?"

Naruko nodded brightly. "I had an idea, that maybe if I could pretend to be a boy. No one would even begin to start questioning me. They don't think the Fourth's kid is a boy after all. They think I'm a girl, so I'd kind of be brushed off. I've done stuff like that before with the Henge. I might need something more stable than that if I want this to last through… Then maybe you try and teach me an illusion that I could put myself under?"

"Don't you have a Seal for that?" The Hokage turned to Jiraiya thoughtfully. "The girl, oh – sorry, the boy has a good point."

 _Success_.

* * *

 **Naruko POV**

 **The Apartment**

* * *

The apartment that was given to her was externally small, but it suited her purposes just fine. It was a three roomed thing. A shoebox like bedroom, which was already equipped with a small bed, and a long shelf running across the wall. A place to sleep, and a place to store her books. She frowned when she realised that the bed held no sheets, no blankets and no pillow.

She'd need to go buy that before she went to sleep. Slipping over, she found the tiny little wardrobe that looked like it had seen better days. Opening them, resulting in checking – the hinges needed a bit of oil, and the only thing that she could find was a single coat hanger.

Lovely. She sighed before leaving this room to find the adjacent bathroom. The thing was easily half the size of the bedroom, which she hadn't thought possible – were they trying to make her claustrophobic? It had a shower, a sink and a toilet; all jammed together so closely, that she wondered how anyone would manage to clean between the objects.

Naruko shuddered thinking about all the bacteria that was most likely growing in the crevice, and decided to leave the bathroom for now and explore the living room with a small attached kitchen. Not that she'd use it for anything other than heating up pre-packaged meals. If she didn't end up burning those too.

Naruko sighed, deciding that she couldn't put off necessary items that she needed to buy anymore. The amount of money that she'd been given was rather pitiful, and the 'income' that she would get for being an 'orphan of war' was rather weak as well. How anyone could live off this baffled her; she still, had brought a good portion of money to supplement this.

What was the point in doing all those high-classed missions if she ended up slumming it? Of course, she'd need to be careful as to not arouse suspicion, but; she'd survive.

Groaning, she made a checklist for herself. Blankets and pillows, preferably orange. Cleaning chemicals – she didn't want to contract any form of disease from this apartment. A stack of re-heat-able meals, and something to wear to the Academy. She needed something eye-catching but serious.

Hey, she heard that jumpsuits were coming back into style. Maybe, she'd even find an orange one.

The door to the classroom, which would 'teach' her how to be a ninja was taunting her. Telling her to go in, telling her that she was going to be a good little Konoha Ninja. This door, was evil. It wasn't like the door was anything out of the ordinary actually; it was a bare thing, brown in colour with a little gold embellishment that read 13A. Naruko however, was aware of the seriousness that walking through this door held. Her game would officially begin, the game of a lifetime.

The chance to _prove_ herself worthy of being called Orochimaru-sama's elite. Even if it meant that she had to ally herself (momentarily) with the horrid village that wanted her death not twelve years ago. It wasn't like it was forever, and hopefully, she would destroy as much as possible in her time here. How long would converting this Sasuke kid take, anyway? Naruko grinned, as a boy, she would have easier access to this kid than if she'd been a girl.

After all, there wouldn't be any awkward questions – and most of these kids wouldn't be able to trace her back to Sound this way. Mostly because she was certain they were idiots. Raising her still tanned fist, she rapped against the door smartly. Almost instantly, the door slid open to reveal a kind looking man, with a very nasty scar running down his face.

She honestly wanted to know the story to this scar. By looks, it should be an intriguing tale. This man, obviously the teacher gave her a smile that made her think of sunshine, and Ramen. She needed to find a Ramen stand. "Can I help you, young man?"

Naruko had to force herself not to twitch at being called a boy. Maybe she needed more practice with her tenses, this wasn't going to be easy. "Iruka-sensei?" she quizzed politely. "I am Uzumaki Naru-to. The Hokage said you'd be expecting me?" She could have cursed herself for stumbling over her name. What was she? Some sort of trash ninja?

Iruka blinked at her for a few moments, slowly, almost like he hadn't comprehended what she had told him. He gave her a slightly hesitant smile. "Oh yes, Hokage-sama did mention you would be joining our class. Come in, we're having a mathematics class – have you ever done trigonometry before?"

"Uh, sorry, what?" Naruko asked, her face scrunched up with confusion. What did they teach the Ninja here? What use was this obscure idea when they were attempting to kill others? They were training to be killers, why did math matter at all? She couldn't understand why this would matter at all; they needed things such as charka control, weaponry training, hand to hand combat and classed that you actually _moved_ in.

He smiled again, this time more faintly before turning around and letting her enter the classroom before he shut the door behind her. Instantly, she felt the eyes of at least twenty students zero in on her, almost like she was this fascinating new test subject. She had been used to this amount of attention in Sound, but the attention was somewhat different. In Sound she had been looked up in awe, with begrudging respect. Here they looked like she was some idiot who stumbled into the wrong room.

"Everyone! Hey, listen to me!" Iruka yelled at the class who had progressed to excited whispers between themselves. She could already feel the begging of headache forming. This wasn't going to end well. Not at all. Maybe she could get used to watching Konoha burn. Shaking her head slightly, she searched the room for this Sasuke kid, was there something about him that stood out?

Obviously not, because she couldn't pin point which one he was. He was meant to have black hair, (as did at least half the class), and dark eyes, (which left five people). "Everyone say hello to Uzumaki Naruto. He's going to be joining our class as of today. You can take a seat here, at the front, Naruto-kun."

He gestured to a desk, which already held a withdrawn looking girl with pale skin, and even paler, and not to mention pupiless eyes. Naruko slid into her seat, attempting to throw off all the curious looks sent her way. Her eyes still scanning the room for the Uchiha. Maybe, all she needed to do was ask the girl next to her, blue eyes slid over to the short-haired girl, absentmindedly paying attention to Iruka re-starting his lecture.

Naruko smiled at her softly, quite determined to make the girl her new 'best friend' for her duration of her stay here. She needed someone, a native, to give her all the insider information that she couldn't get from her target. After all, she was trying to gain her targets trust. She would use this girl, to gain all of her Intel. A perfect tool. The purple-haired girl looked at her for exactly ten seconds, before breaking out with a pink blush and looking down again.

The other girl was shy? Even better. She wouldn't have that many friends to spread gossip about her oddities.

* * *

"Hey, um, hey!" Naruko called, quickly following the shy-girl out of the classroom. They'd been dismissed for lunch, which she had been shocked to learn, actually lasted forty-five minutes. Where these Konoha citizen's spoilt, or what? The girl slowed down, and ducked her head at her. "Right. I'm Naruto, ah. I was wondering if you could show me around. Tell me about what the Academy is like?"

"M-me?" her voice quivered, the tone though, was already so soft that she could hardly hear it. This girl, was perfect. The one that no one noticed, they one that nobody cared about. "I – I of, course I-I can. I-It will be a-a pleasure t-to."

"Thank you!" Naruko smiled warmly. "Where so you suggest we should start, uh…"

"Hinata, H-Hyuga Hinata," she bowed peacefully, before righting herself back out again. "Y-you obviously k-know where our c-classroom is. A-All of o-our classes are in the one room. O-other than the –p-p-physical classes."

Naruko took notes when the lavender-eyed girl stumbled over the physical classes more than anything else. She was obviously not very good at fighting, and the prospect made her nervous. What good was a Ninja who couldn't kill? Nodding along to the other girl's words though, pretending to be interested, she followed her out amongst the sprawling complex.

There was the teachers' lounge, Iruka's office – the registration office, where you were meant to go if you have any issues with your paperwork. Then the left for outside, which was easily triple the size of the inside. Naruko watched as a bunch of kids, at least four years young than her screamed loudly before running from each other, were they laughing? What was so funny? Training shouldn't be funny.

Hinata then showed her the weaponry range, which consisted of a field with ten or so targets; all at different heights, but pinned to trees. Apparently, they came to this place at least twice a week to practice their aim. Naruko tried not to scoff at that. How could you possibly sharpen your aim on a non-moving object? When she mentioned it, Hinata laughed softly and said; "My f-f-farther said the s-same thing."

Moving on was a spot that was obviously meant for Taijutsu. After all, why else would it be set up like an arena? Hinata informed her that they had weekly Taijutsu tournaments between the students in their class. It was sort of like a knockout thing, each winner progressing to the next match. "What does the winner get?" Naruko had asked, somewhat interested.

"B-b-bragging r-rights?"

Naruko rolled her eyes leaving the area quite close behind the slightly taller girl. Where was the point in that? Other than pride, she saw no point in putting the effort into winning. Quietly, she followed her to a completely new area, which seemed to hold something akin to a playground. Upon closer inspection, she realised this this was most certainly the most dangerous playground she'd ever set her eyes on. It was more like an obstacle course than a real playground.

"T-t-this is the Devil's C-course," Hinata shuddered, looking like she was near tears just saying its name. "W-w-we use it bi-monthly t-t-to test ourselves. I-i-if we fail i-i-it… w-w-well…" Hinata looked terrified by the very thought she was having, and couldn't finish her sentence.

"How do you fail it? What happens when you fail it?"

"Time, injuries," Hinata mumbled under her breath forcing Naruko to strain her hearing to make it out properly. "I-I-I failed i-it once a-and they i-i-i-informed my f-f-f-farther, it wasn't a-a good d-day."

Ah, so this thing was used as not only a way to test the strength and agility of a recruit, but to use their families into shaming the student to do better. Clever, Naruko thought, realising that this had to be the most charitable thought she'd had towards Konoha.

"T-that concludes t-the tour of the A-academy," Hinata mumbled, bowing her head down again. Naruko could foresee this getting extremely annoying. This girl, was a normal trash ninja, but useful for her now. She was weak, untrained and therefore, wouldn't be looking for her obvious manipulations.

"Do you think, you could show me who everyone in our class was? I don't want to make myself look silly by not knowing," Naruko said after a pang of awkward silence. "You know what I mean?"

"Of course!" Hinata squeaked, looking mortified by the sound of her own voice. Naruko tried not to groan, this was necessary, plus, this girl seemed like she would be very nice. If she got over the stutter, and the general trash-like behaviour. "Um, o-over in th-at c-corner is S-Sakura-san and I-I-Ino-san, in the tree is Sasuke-k-kun."

Naruko's eyes snapped to the figure hiding in a tree, and the two girls standing at its base thing to gain the boys attentions. He studiously ignored them. Instead content in glaring at the leaves. This was her target, this was Orochimaru-sama's new host. This boy who, she noted with a brilliant sense of happiness, seemed to detest everyone thing around him.

"O-over there is K-Kiba-san a-and…" Hinata continued to point people out to her, not that she cared anymore. She had found her target, and this was all that mattered. Begrudgingly, she allowed her eyes the time to look away from the black-haired boy and follow Hinata's line of sight. She needed to keep up pretenses after all.

Ignoring the girl's muttered mess of a speech, Naruko found herself sporting an uncharacteristic grin. She had finally gotten the target within her sight.

* * *

Naruko was frowning, the lines were going to presently be etched on her face at this rate. But glancing up at the tall, purple-haired ninja standing in the doorway of her new apartment, she started questioning the Hokage's sanity. This would explain why she was let in with little-to-no questioning. The man was obviously insane. "Who are you?"

"I'm Yugao. The Hokage had assigned me to teach you the basics of being a Kunochi," the women explained, shoving a rather heavy looking book at Naruko, causing her to stumble back. Glancing down at the cover, she was shocked to see a picture of a flower on it. "I will met you here every Tuesday and Thursday, at six. I expect you to be ready to study and do all of the tasks I assign you."

Naruko had to hand it to the women, if her leader tasked her to teach a boy about being a Kunochi, she would have had some questions. This lady, didn't even seem bothered by the whole ordeal. Naruko stepped out of the doorway, slightly unsure and let the women in.

The tall Ninja strode past her and settled herself on the tiny table that Naruko's apartment offered, and gestured for the blonde to join her. Shrugging her shoulders, she closed the door behind her and did as she was told. She needed to be grateful, she reasoned, for all of the extra training the Hokage was giving her. Little did he know that she'd already completed two A-Rank missions, and didn't need this?

Granted, if he knew about that fact, and that infiltrating his Village was an S-Rank mission she'd been assigned – she'd be dead right now. At least the Village would have what they wanted. Her's and the Kyubi's heads on a stick.

"I will make these lessons clear for you, Uzumaki-kun. In these classes I will teach you the art of flower arrangements. How to walk, and fight in formal-wear. How to act, and serve when you are hosting a party. How to drink your tea, how to wave your fan. How to… _seduce,_ your enemies; and everything that entitles," the purple-haired lady said, her face betraying her no nonsense attitude. "You will take notes, do the assigned work, and we shall be finished here in time for you to graduate from the Academy. Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah one," Naruko said, feeling a cheeky grin spread across her features. "You know I'm a boy, right?"

"Yes," she replied stiffly. Almost as if the thought had plagued her mind a bit. "I do not question the orders of my Hokage-sama. If he wants you versed in this knowledge, then it is not my place to question him. Any useful questions?"

Naruko paused, it didn't seem like a good philosophy to take the words of a murderous killer and believe them with no question. Then again, if Orochimaru-sama had ordered her to teach a boy something useless like how to drink tea, then she wouldn't actually question it.

"I will take that as a no. We shall begin with flower arrangements. In that book, holds every single meaning of a flower. When using certain flowers together, you can send a message to all of those around you. For example…"

They expected her to be proficient in a language using flowers? What kind of useless trash did Konoha hold?! This… was not what she was expecting coming into Konoha. Sensing the moving roll of papers (where did they come from!?) that came towards her head, Naruko quickly ducked, much to the older women's annoyance.

"If you can pay enough attention to oncoming attacks, you can spare a few more brain cells to pay attention to what I'm teaching you. I do not like to repeat myself." Naruko was reminded of Kabuto.

* * *

Classes in Konoha, were boring. They were the same mundane thing, and when they finally managed to get out into the physical training areas, she watched a class of trash attempt and fail at even being Trash Ninja. It was time like this, where she was forced to watch this children miss stationary targets, where she missed her team.

At first, she had studiously watched the students – trying to see if there was anyone else that had the talent for her to befriend and convince to defect. Orochimaru-sama would be so pleased with her if she brought back more than one talented ninja.

This though, would do no good for Sound at all. The pink haired girl, Sakura, had the aim – but not the strength to propel the kunai, nor the attitude. Hinata, was rather decent, at least managing to hit the target close to the centre. Rolling her eyes, and attempting to ignore the two girls she was partnered with, Naruko focused on Sasuke's group.

He was with the brown haired boy, Kiba and a blonde girl. Naruko didn't partially care enough to remember her name. Her eyes narrowed at the black-haired boy as he stood, the air of arrogance, sticking the bullseye the first time. He was the best in the class, aide form her of course. But she felt, as a spy, she really didn't count. "Are we not letting Naruto-kun have a go, girls?"

"Ah, sorry Iruka-sensei," the pink haired girl bowed her head. "He said he didn't need to do it. I tried to tell him it was mandatory but…"

The loudness of her tone didn't seem to catch many people's attention, but the group closest to them looked up. She caught the eye of a curious boy, who she had previously assumed to be sleeping, in a standing up position. "Have you never tried to hit a target before, Naruko-kun?" Iruka asked, his brows rising as if he was already planning congeniality plans for him.

Naruko was about to agree when she noticed Sasuke's attention had drifted off his team trying to catch up to his perfect mark, that brown haired boy seemed to be extremely angry by the ease Sasuke had hit the target. "Not particularly, but how hard could it be?" Naruko said with a rhetoric sort of smile. "Should I give it a try? I'm not sure what will happen though…"

"Go on," Iruka said in an encouraging tone. "We'll all be right here to help you out."

Naruko turned, trying to hide herself rolling her eyes. In Sound, she ranked higher than this teacher. Taking the two kunai from Hinata's outstretched hand, and giving her a reassuring smile, Naruko readied her stance. Eyes glancing back at Sasuke to make sure he was still watching. Good. If Naruko knew anything, then she knew the best way to get the attention of the best – was to beat the best.

With a flick of her wrist, the projectile was sent soaring until it hit the centre with a soft thank – and the second kunai was out of her hand mere seconds later, hitting the other kunai in a way that made the first one fall out, this one taking the same place. Naruko grinned, her gaze first locking with the Uchiha – who she now had intrigued, and back to her wide-eyed teacher.

"That was amazing Naruto! Are you sure you've never hit a target before?" Iruka asked amazed, and Naruko felt like she would have the attentions of Sasuke on this conversation, so she answered based solely on what she thought would catch his attention.

"Well, not stationary ones," the innocent glimmer of her tone seemed to completely win over Iruka.

"Impossible! He's better than Sasuke-kun!" Sakura, the pink-haired little girl muttered. "That's…"

Naruko's grin widened. She'd issued a challenge, unspoken to the black-haired boy. He was going to be the one to incite contact, so she could be traced back to actively seeking him out.

Task two, initiating contact – was a go.

* * *

OUT TAKES  
MORNINGS

* * *

The blissful warm of bed always beckoned her in the morning, the lovely bliss of the early morning sun, and being in bed. Awake, but not yet truly awake. In the blissful space of actually being awake, and being asleep. Her favourite thing at this time of day. She perfected the ability to drown out the sound of a door slamming open during this time; it was most likely just Sakon… wanting to train…

He could wait, it was sleep time now, and everyone knew that. "Time to wake up, little bit! Rise and shine~! We have long way~~" the sound of a grown man filled her sleep induced haze, so she threw her pillow at the nuisance.

"Hey kid! You don't need to get violent-." Her hand shot out of the bed she was currently in, seeking the bedside table near her; her hand grabbing something that felt quite heavy. She tugged it out of the wall easily and threw it at the person who continued to speak.

"Go 'way," she mumbled, face turned into her futon now that she found herself without out a pillow. They were unnecessary anyway. The sound of a loud crash forced her to turn her head, and squint as the clock that had been smashed against the wall.

"I'm not paying for damages, come on, let's-." The white-haired Ninja began, shaking his head.

"It's seven in the morning, go away," she groaned before rolling over taking her blanket with her. "Or I'll kill you." She was being quite serious with the threat.

* * *

 _Preview_ ~

" _Sugar doesn't take the form of little cubes," Naruko argued, slightly confused. "It's a grain-like substance. How does it stick together like that… did you use poison?"_

 _Her teacher pursed her red-coated lips. "It just does. No. There is no poison in these tea ceremonies at all."_

… _.._

 _Naruko nodded slowly. "If I pass the graduation exam, my classroom marks won't matter, correct?"_

" _Well, technically. But you don't want to be the dead last, do you Naruto? I can help you catch up on all the historical components, and such. You just need to put in a bit of effort-," Iruka said._

" _A pass is a pass" she cut him off._


	3. Chapter 3

**Of All Fate's Designs**

 **Chapter Three – Of Uchica and Academics**

 ** _A/N – In Case you're wondering why on earth Sasuke would continue to seek Naruko out, going as far as to spend lunch with her; the answer is simple. She has pretty much showed him how amazing she is at fighting, and Sasuke being Sasuke, can see this as an opportunity to learn and grow. It wasn't beyond CannonSasuke to abandon his country for power, I don't think it would be beyond him to socialise for some. That and he doesn't have the same notion about 'Naruto' being stupid as he did before, because he'd never met 'Naruto' before. The first impression he had of him was a brilliant shot._**

 ** _Also, for curiosity's sake. She's completed the same amount of missions the rest of the Sound Four have completed according to the Naruto Wika. That would be, 20-D Ranks, 8-B Ranks, 2-A Ranks and the 1-S Rank that she is currently on._**

* * *

 **Naruko POV**

 **The Academy**

* * *

Naruko entered her next day at the Academy quite jubilant. She was certain that her target was going to make contact with her after her big flashy display of perfect aim. That wasn't even the best that she could do. It was nowhere near her real power, but, it would have gotten the boys attention, that was of course, if he was interested in power. Which a vessel of Orochimaru-sama's would of course be.

Entering the classroom, she kept her head aloof and seated herself next to Hinata, a table around the middle of the class. A good spot, she mentally congratulated Hinata. This was the space that normally went ignored. The blonde had been seated for a good few moments, exchanging brief pleasantries with Hinata, when Sasuke got up from his spot next to the window and moved his books over to where she was sitting.

His books were placed, rather loudly in her opinion in the empty spot next to her. Hinata looked up at Sasuke, utterly terrified. Naruko tried not to roll her eyes, instead choosing to raise an eyebrow at the boy. Her target nodded at her briefly as he sat. "Uchica Sasuke," he said as a way of greeting.

"Uzumaki Naruto," Naruko aid blandly, was this honestly the way he chose to introduce himself? Well, a vessel didn't need to be charming, she reminded herself.

"You have good aim."

Naruko looked at him warily, not really understanding his short blunt sentences. Why was he so… straight out with what he thought? Shouldn't ninja disguise their intentions? Again, she had to remind herself that Orochimaru's new host didn't need to be smart, he needed to be strong. He was going to get the greatest mind of all time implanted in him, of course. "I know," she responded in a clipped sort of way.

She was attempting to emulate him. If, she was somewhat like him, he'd be more interested in pursuing a 'friendship' with her. At least, that's what she'd been led to believe based on other connections around here. Then again, she assumed the obsession with the Uchiha would bind the blonde and pink haired girl in friendship, and it hadn't. Maybe common likes wasn't the way to go?

"I'd never really practised on a none-moving target," Naruko continued on after her last thought. Also coming to the conclusion that Sasuke didn't know how to continue the conversation. The boy's eyes narrowed at her, and she gave him an ignorant smile. "It's easier to hit something not moving when you're used to something moving. I could help you with that, if you'd like? Be your moving target?"

The boy looked at her suspiciously. "I don't need _help_ with my aim."

"Never said you did," Naruko responded cheerfully, a sly tone entering her voice. "You can always improve though."

"Maybe," Sasuke conceded. Naruko smiled again, her third point on her mental to-do list; 'ensure continued contact', was checked off, and rather easily. Next step, was to gain his trust, and that shouldn't be too difficult. After all, the ninja in Konoha all seemed to just want to trust her, so badly.

"Well, I like to hang around the Academy after class has finished," Naruko lied. She could, if needed, hang around this place of torture for a bit longer if need be. She turned back to face the front of the classroom, Iruka, gathering sheets of paper and clearing his throat. This would only be too easy, and, Naruko thought with excitement – she got to help train her boss's new body!

"Hey! Attention! I said listen to me!" Iruka was yelling by the end of his statement, a rather vicious twitch to his eye, which somehow managed to silence the room of chattering children. "Right, so, today we're going to start off with a quiz on the history of Konoha. Before we move on to learn about Konoha's impact on the third Great Shinobi War. You have twenty minutes to complete this test," he informed them, before starting to place them face down on the desks. "You can begin after everyone else has their test."

Naruko couldn't restrain her groan. What kind of ninja needed this sort of thing? What did the actions of a ninja who had died in battle, have anything to do with her now? "Begin!" Iruka called out, and Naruko watched him stroll back to his desk at the front of the classroom before she flipped the test over and read the first question. _Name the four Hokage's._

Naruko raised an eyebrow, hell, she didn't even know the name of the current Hokage. Let alone the other three. Her farther, had the last name Namikaze, but she didn't remember the rest. Why was this vital knowledge? Glancing up, she noticed the rest of the class scribbling away. Naruko wrote; First, Second, Third, Fourth.

Moving onto the next question, she found herself as lost as she was with the first one. _Konoha Ninja have the will of what element. Explain how this saying was created._ The will of…? Murder? Idiocy? Naruko skipped this question and went onto the next one.

 _How did the first Hokage craft Konoha?_ From the ground? Naruko's eye twitched. She hated tests. But not as much as she hated history on a country that she could care less about. Hell, the only 'history' she knew on Sound was that the wonderful Orochimaru-sama had built it.

Blue eyes glancing down to the next question, grimacing, she placed her pencil down next to the paper and flipped it back over. Marks were overrated anyway.

* * *

"One of the most important aspects of being a Kunoichi, is tea ceremonies," Yugao lectured her, long fingers arranging the fragile china she'd brought with her on the table. "Can you wager a guess as to why?"

"To go on undercover missions," Naruko responded, finally glad to know the answer to something. She'd been surprised with a number of tests this weeks, which she hadn't done fantastically in. "It would enable easy assassination."

The brown eyed woman eyed her strangely for a moment, before bushing her answer off. "Yes. This is mostly correct," her tone didn't sound too impressed. Naruko almost glared at her, what did she mean, practically correct? "It doesn't so much as focus on killing, but more on information gathering. It is easier to trick someone into spilling a secret over a cup of tea – it serves as a distraction. Confusing the mind."

So she wasn't being taught how to mix poison into tea? How would this be useful? If she could slip some form of poison into the tea without them noticing, then she would be rid of the problem completely! Naruko nodded her head dutifully though, she would not question it.

"If we aren't learning how to slip poison in tea, then what are those little white cubes for?" Naruko asked, eyeing the tiny things neatly stacked on a little saucer. What even was it, if it wasn't poison?

"It's called sugar. It sweetens the tea, it makes it more drinkable for many people. As a ninja, we never accept it from another, not trusted person, but," she paused for a minute. "You need to know how to add it to the tea, as to not arouse suspicion."

"Sugar doesn't take the form of little cubes," Naruko argued, slightly confused. "It's a grain-like substance. How does it stick together like that… did you use poison?"

Her teacher pursed her red-coated lips. "It just _does_. No. There is _no_ poison in these tea ceremonies _at all_."

What was the point in that? It was at times like these, that she was glad that she had been taken away from this country as a child. They were all so stupid. Why not use this as an opportunity to kill their target? Bah, trash.

* * *

Naruko resisted the urge to twitch, as she moved the target slightly to the side and out of the spinning range of Sasuke's kunai. "How am I meant to hit it when you only ever move it out of the way, after I've thrown the kunai?" Sasuke snapped, shooting her a deadly glare that didn't even make her flinch.

If Sasuke thought his glares were scary, then he had another thing coming to him once he met Orochimaru-sama. "Do you honestly think anyone is stupid enough to just stand there and let you stab them?" Naruko asked rhetorically. "I can't speak for the other tra- _ninja_ , but if I saw you throwing a kunai at me. I'd move _out_ of the way."

Sasuke merely grunted at her, his eyes narrowing in concentration, he threw another one of the sharp objects at the board, Naruko pulled it towards her and watched as yet another one went flying past her. "How'd you get so good at this? I haven't seen you before. Were you in the class below us?" Sasuke quires, his tone speaking nothing but of annoyance.

"No," Naruko answered, pulling the target up to avoid his next throw – stepping back to avoid it hitting her. "I was taught externally, my teacher thought I'd benefit from uh… making connections with other Konoha ninja my age," she concluded, quite happy with her quick lie.

He raised one of his thin brows, choosing not to make any comments on her answer, throwing the last knife he held in his possession. Quietly, she placed the target down to help the boy go and collect all of the stray knives. They were so spread out amongst the small training ground that Iruka allowed them to use, despite the fact that school was finished for the day. She didn't doubt that he was somewhere in the building watching the duo.

"You could have joined the graduating class," Sasuke said finally, when she passed over the newly collected blades, and made to pick up her target again. It was boring and repetitive, but it's what was needed to gain the boys trust. "You're talented enough. Their scheduled to graduate next week."

"It would defeat the purpose with being put with people my own age," Naruko lied effortlessly. Of course she wasn't going to tell him that the only reason she was here was because of him. Sasuke grunted in response again. He was just a ball of communication, wasn't he? She sighed handing him the newly collected knives before grabbing the board she'd been using before.

Take two. After a few more failed attempts though, she was seriously starting to get annoyed. Though, there was that one that had skimmed the top of her head, still, her head wasn't the target. The damn board was.

"You have to _anticipate_ my moves," Naruko finally snapped, after a few more failed attempts. This couldn't be the true potential of Orochimaru-sama's vessel! "You need to know what I'm going to do, _before_ I do it."

* * *

"Naruto-kun, would you mind staying back for a bit? I just need a quick word," Iruka said, a frown on his normally cheerful face. Naruko looked over her shoulder at the man who was calling her back to his desk. It wasn't like she minded, honestly, they didn't need forty five minutes for a lunch break.

Naruko glanced at the blue-haired girl that had quickly become a fixture by her side, and gestured to Iruka. 'Just be a moment,' she mouthed to the girl, only to receive a hesitant nod. Naruko swung back around only to nearly knock into a black haired boy, who looked like he was basically asleep. Naruko's eyes twitched before she could smother it. "Sorry," Naruko said, quite successfully keeping the annoyance out of her tone.

Side stepping around the boy, honestly, if he was awake then he couldn't have gotten into her way. Trying not to think about her current annoyance, she marched over to Iruka's desk – plastering on a fake grin on her face. The older man waited until the classroom completely emptied before he gave her a concerned look. "Naruto-kun, I want to discuss your grades. This classes graduation in coming up in six months, after all."

Six months? Hadn't Sasuke just said that the graduating class just went through their graduation? Were they held every six months here? What? "Whilst your grades for the physicals classes are _extremely_ good," the brown haired man hesitated briefly. "I worry that you'll be failed based on your scores on the _theory_. You do realise how important theory is, don't you?"

No, she really didn't. Nor did she want to waste any time studying about Konoha's past, or about the angle of a triangle, and she _really_ didn't want to learn about Konoha's Ninja Rules. She had no desire to learn more about this wrenched country. "Will I fail if my marks don't improve? How is the graduation criteria sectioned?"

He blinked, slightly surprised by her words. Naruko hadn't cared much at this point, she could aim to be the dead last, perhaps. Her battle skills should have propelled her much higher than that, of course. In any other normal country, she would have already graduated and not been in fear of _failing._ "Half of your mark is based on the exam; which is all theory, with one Jutsu of our choosing. The other half is based on your classwork grades. That is further split into two categories; physical marks, where yours are very good and theory test, which aren't your strongest point."

Naruko nodded slowly. "If I pass the graduation exam, my classroom marks won't matter, correct?"

"Well, technically. But you don't want to be the dead last, do you Naruto?" Iruka said, sounding like he was seriously quite confused by how careless she sounded.

"It's still a pass." It was easy, all she needed to do was study how to cheat properly. That had to be a useable skill. Naruko bit her lip trying to consider who would be best to help her with this task. She didn't think Sasuke or Hinata would be the type that required to cheat, but if she had to make a choice…

Hinata would ask less questions. Slowly she started to nod her head at the bewildered Chunin before her. "I've got something to do. Thank you for this chat, Sensei." She had a shy, pale girl to find.

"…You're welcome?"

* * *

"Copying straight off you would became much too obvious," Naruko said after what felt like the thousands time. She wasn't any good with written tests, she got that. It must have been a bi-product from her training where the only useful text, was one read in a book. Then, she still didn't have enough patience to fully read the stupid thing out. "Iruka would realise it straight away. No, I can't be anywhere near you for the exam."

Hinata hesitated slightly, but it was enough to keep her silenced, evidently. "Y-you could, uh, s-study the m-material?" she offered sounding confused that this wasn't the blonde's first port-of-call.

"No," Naruko responded shaking her head. Not only did she not have the patience to learn about how much Konoha lied about their history; but she didn't have the time. Between keeping up pretences with this girl, learning about to be a Kunochi with Yugato, attending classes and attempting to curry the favour of the last Uchiha, Naruko had a full load on her plate. At least with Sasuke she could keep some of her skills sharp. "That doesn't make any sense. He was obviously intending for me to cheat."

"… _That_ doesn't m-make any s-sense," Hinata mumbled, looking down at her fiddling thumbs. Naruko frowned, finding herself quite annoyed with the gesture. "I, uh, d-don't think that I-Iruka-sensei would s-say that…"

"Not in so many words," Naruko brushed the girl off, glancing up at the blue sky. It was taunting her, baiting her. Telling her what she could be doing if she wasn't here. Naruko's eye twitched. "What's so bad about being a dead-last, anyway?"

"I doubt you'd be the dead-last," a voice sounded from right behind the blonde, causing Hinata to squeak in fear; burning a bright red. Naruko's eyes flickered over her head to see Sasuke standing there looking disdainfully uncomfortable; a babble of pre-teen girls crowding around a tree a few distances away. Eyeing the horde of girls, which were as she was aware, his admirers and glancing back at the boy, she raised an eyebrow. "They won't leave me alone." He said as way of explanation before sitting down next to Naruko, and Hinata.

"It's because you're pretty," Naruko commented offhand. Not noticing the way the boys eyebrow rose, nor the look he exchanged with the blue-haired girl. "You tell me then; what is so bad about being the dead-last?"

Sasuke shrugged, apparently brushing her earlier comment off like had had mean nothing. "Not much. It simply means you are the worst of the graduating class."

"A-a-and it impacts y-your team a-after you g-graduate," Hinata mumbled, ducking her head so that Sasuke wouldn't see the blush forming on her face. Naruko raised an eyebrow at that, she hadn't thought that Hinata would be one of Sasuke's fangirls, but there it was here, with her bright pink cheeks – and even softer words.

Naruko nodded her head in understanding. "Getting stuck with a bunch of idiots of who can't fight, really shouldn't be too much of an issue," Naruko responded, not really seeing the point in worrying about who her eventual team would be. She'd most likely be paired with the kid who slept through his classes, and the girl who did nothing but stare at Sasuke with loving eyes. No, she didn't have a specific person in mind.

Not like she was going to stick around them very much; or have much to do with them in the first place. "The dead-last is always pared with the top male and female students of the year level," Sasuke informed her casually.

"Why?" the pretend-boy asked, eyes wide and the feeling of incredulously feeling her body. "That sounds like the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Who needs someone dragging down the collective strength of a team?"

"I agree," the Uchiha spoke candidly, his eyes coasting off to glare at a few girls who looked eager to interrupt.

"It – um, Iruka-sensei, he said…" Hinata trailed off lightly before gaining some more courage. "It was to e-even out teams, b-because completing a-a mission relied on t-teamwork."

"That's idiotic. I don't want to die on my mission because my teammate wasn't as strong as me to actually _have_ my back," she rebuked. These Konoha ninja really didn't make much sense. Why would they need to drag a stupid ninja up with the best they had to offer? Did they want their best to die because of an idiot?

In Sound, you were given teams based on skill. You were in a team because your skill was around the same level as them. She had been part of the best, she had been part of the strongest team offered. And here, she was slated to become the dead-last. Although, if she managed to pull this off – she'd most likely be put in the same team with Sasuke; and Naruko felt another grin surfacing over her face. There was no better way to get to the boy, then being around him constantly.

"I feel like we should be wary about that look on his face," Sasuke commented dryly at Hinata, who simply let out a small 'meep'. This was enough to cause her laughter, because oh, the boy didn't realise how right he was. He should be wary, he should be very wary. By the time he realised it though, it'd be too late.

* * *

The massive poster the covered the entirety of the chalk board, was a blessing in disguise. On one hand, the thing was confusing, as she was extremely unsure why they needed to memorise the locations of each nation, but it also meant that she didn't have to listen to the dull sounds of chalk being dragged across the board.

Though Iruka's voice was just as annoying as the chalk was. "—you see that when a country is closest to each other, they tend more to form allegiances-."

She could feel the lids of her eyed dropping shut with each word the man uttered, it was like his words of countries and whatever else he was talking about, was lulling her deeper into sleep… The second her eyes slid shut, she got a sense of an object coming at her – eyes snapping open with the perceived threat, she ducked her head and let the eraser hit the boy behind her.

Had this man thrown a chalk board eraser at her? "Glad to see your eyes open, Naruto. Would you be a gem and tell me why you were sleeping through my lecture?" The brown-haired man's voice was tight, and the other members of the class broke out into whispers only to be silenced by the scared man's glare.

"I was bored?"

"Maybe if you paid more attention, then you wouldn't be failing," Iruka retorted, causing more whispers to stir between the masses of the class. Naruko rolled her eyes, like this would be enough to force her into actually staying awake. She couldn't care less about grades, or the opinion of mindless sheep.

All she needed was Sasuke, in and out, really. Iruka didn't leave her much time before he restarted his lecture. She didn't close her eyes again, though she did rest her head on the palm of her hand – and start staring out the window. She could feel herself getting weaker the longer that she stayed with these trash.

"Naruto! Are you paying attention!?" Naruko sighed, wondering why he seemed so fixated on the fact that she wasn't listening. She could pinpoint at least nine other students that were paying less attention than she was.

"Of course."

"What did I just say then?"

"Something about a country," she responded dryly. Ignoring the gasp she got from the pink-haired girl at the front that was throwing scandalised looks her way. It wasn't like sassing the teacher was going to get her in any more trouble, or maybe it would. Who knew?

He pursed his lips, exasperated sigh falling from his mouth. It must be hard trying to rein in disobedient children all day. "I asked you, Naruto, who Konoha's closest ally was. Do you know the answer?"

"Konoha has allies? Uh, Kiri?" Naruko tried to sound confident, but she hadn't been aware that Konoha even had an ally. Though Konoha was a reasonable size, so surely yes they would have a few allies. Even if all the ninja that called this place home were simply put, trash.

"Suna, actually," the man corrected, before moving on and forgetting the mishap. Suna? Hadn't that been the country that Sound was attentively allied with? "Back to the point. Konoha is close-."

She wasted exactly four minutes before zoning out of the lecture again. Of course, knowing where a country was so she could venture to that place for missions was all good and dandy, though she was unsure why it was important to know who was allied with who. It seemed like somewhat useless knowledge.

Zoning out of Iruka's lecture for a third time though, didn't seem to be a very intelligent move on her behalf though. Luckily, before the teacher could make her an example, again, Sasuke hit her in the ribcage – subtly of course. And by that she meant he full on wacked her, causing her to jump and expend the effort to throw a dark glare his way. "That's enough. Naruto, Sasuke; you both are staying behind after class. Detention."

"I didn't _do_ anything," she heard Sasuke grumble darkly under his breath, moving his darkly glaring eyes now towards the teacher. Naruko wasn't complaining however, welcoming every minute of forced contact between her and the older boy.

Naruko was pleased. Though, she was significantly less pleased when she realised that as punishment they had to clean all the walls in the academy by hand. She was unaware that detention meant cheap (free) slave labour.

* * *

The exam that was coming up rapidly had Naruko in a sort of bind. She wasn't sure if she should expend the effort to actually pass or not. If it was purely based on her physical skill, she would be the rookie of the year. Unfortunately, that was only half her grade. Added with the fact that actually learning Konoha's history seemed boring and pointless, she was feeling a bit put out. Sasuke wouldn't seek her out further if he didn't think she could teach him anything though.

So that left one option open to her; she needed to find a way to cheat. Glancing around the room during one of her tests, she followed Iruka's gaze like a hawk. Tracing the patterns that his eyes carved through the room. He watched the students every movement, every wandering gaze was met by the sharp tones of his voice. She needed to find a way to let her gaze wonder, and yet, not get caught.

Then it occurred to her, he never, not once – looked at the roof. If she could attach a reflective surface onto the roof, angled so she could see it from her position, then she could use it to read someone else's answers and copy it. The easy way to do this was, to sneak into the academy at night, attach the mirror to the ceiling and be on her way.

What was a little adventure though, without someone helping her? She was hoping this show of trust, and the little adventure was enough to form an attentive friendship with the Uchiha. "How did you convince me to do this?"

Naruko shrugged, flipping the wire though the lock on the window one last time before she heard the distortive 'click' that signalled that it was no longer locked. "It's practice… in being able to sneak into a location, plant a trap, and not get caught. A common mission really."

The boy's dark gaze wandered over to her, and she could see the contemplation on his face in the ill lighting; she quietly pushing the window frame upwards. "Who taught you all of this?"

Glancing back at him, face blank she didn't respond before climbing into the classroom. The soft thank behind her indicated that Sasuke had followed her, even without her response. Swiftly, she made her way towards her normal seat and sat down, before leaning back and looking at the roof.

She heard the muffled sound of Sasuke's sigh, as he placed himself next to her in a similar position. "Put it there, it's where Sakura sits. She's got the highest theoretical score in the class."

Eyes squinting to see the seat in the third row, she frowned. "I won't be able to see it from over there though."

"Attach Ninja Wire, and use it to tilt the mirror."

Naruko frowned. She would attempt to use the wire at least, and pray that he wouldn't catch her. After all, wire was practically invisible. "Iruka might see that. I don't know about you, but I don't want to spend another afternoon scrubbing clean walls."

* * *

"Again, tell me. I don't think I completely understand."

"Ah, well… My Clan is really well known for our Kekki Genaki… My father…he, well, he's disappointed that I'm not… I'm not exactly, the uh, best… with it," Hinata mumbled, cheeks burning red; like this was the last thing she wanted to be admitting to the blonde. Even if it was over a bowl of Ramen.

Ah Ramen, it really was made _very_ well in Konoha. This Ramen Chef, she decided, was the first one (other than Sasuke) that she could not plausibly call trash and actually mean it. After all, how could trash create the foods of gods? This heavenly taste? Never. "This… talent you have though, I don't really know anything about it."

"You don't?" Hinata paused slowly, like she couldn't quite grasp the concept she was speaking of. She could somewhat understand the confusion, in this country there were many Hyuga, and they were obviously very well known.

"I haven't exactly been in Konoha for what… ten years?" Naruko lied effortlessly. "I haven't really caught up on everything I need to."

"Oh!" Hinata exclaimed, though sounding minutely happy about it. "Well, it's based on my eyes. Or my clan's eyes, I guess. Ah, it's called a Byakugan… It gives us the ability to see in a 360 degree angle a-around ourselves…And, ah, it can detect chakra flow in a person… and see through solid objects…"

Naruko marvelled for a moment, just how innocent and trusting this young girl was. She told Naruko the secrets of her Clan's eyes. A stranger, who could misuse this knowledge if they so desired. And Naruko _did_ desire to misuse this knowledge. A tool like that, would be extremely valuable to Orochimaru-sama. Perhaps, she should spend more time with Hinata, and not only because she wanted insider knowledge of Konoha.

But because she wanted to present Orochimaru-sama with Hinata, a wielder of this amazing Doujutsu. "That's so fascinating! Can you only see what's around you as a person? Or like, further?" she did her best to sound overly eager and interested. She wanted to keep the girl talking, didn't she?

Hinata looked absolutely flattered, if the pink sheen to her cheeks were anything to go by. "T-thank you. But I'm not the best with it… Father says that it's pathetic… I can only s-see about 50 meters away," she finished her sentence looking somewhat upset with herself.

Oh, Hinata's father couldn't have handed her a more damaged, and easily manipulated girl! She would do well under her tutelage, though, she couldn't sue the same method she did with Sasuke. He wanted power, which she could provide. Hinata was an innocent, lonely girl who just desperately wanted to be accepted. Naruko would be her friend. The grin on her tanned face widened with this thought. "I think that's great. You'll get better the more you use it, you haven't even graduated yet, and you can already see so far?!"

Hinata faintly glowed with pride, although her head was ducked and she was avoiding eye contact. "W-well my cousin Neji-nee-san… he… he can see nearly a kilometre away… He is a year older than u-us. Father says he's a t-true Hyuga…"

The brief thought of switching to this Neji flickered across her mind for a moment before she dismissed it. With the state Hinata was in, she'd be far easier to manipulate and control. "Well, you're not Neji, are you? You're Hinata. Of course you're going to have a different level of control."

She was beaming, her head lifted from its previous slump. Oh yes, this would be simply much too easy. Like taking candy from a baby.

Orochimaru-sama would be so _pleased_ with her.

* * *

 **OUTTAKES**

"What's with the trees?"

Naruko grinned, imagining the absolute horror that would befall the boy the moment he attempted to even begin to climb the tree. When she had first done it, she had exploded half the tree and left Kabuto with third-degree charka burns. He still had a scar, if you looked closely enough at the left side of his face. "I'm bored of watching you fail throwing Kunai. I want to watch you fail at something else, tree walking."

"Walking?" The boy sounded ungodly intrigued. Naruko grinned, before turning to the tree closest to her, setting a foot on its base.

"It's quite simple really," she said, a wicked grin at her lie forming on her face. "It's a chakra control exercise. All you need to do is focus chakra into your feet, and walk," she explained taking a few confident steps up the base of the tree. She grinned looking down at his interested face. "The chakra works to stick you to the tree, which is useful if you're jumping through them and fall."

Naruko shuddered thinking back to when that had actually happened to her. Sakon would never let her forget the day that she overshot the tree, and continued to plummet to the ground before she had the sense to catch herself mere inches from actually breaking something. "How many times as that happened to you?"

"Shut up," she said on pure reflex. "Are you going to try it, or not?"

"Sure," Sasuke replied, arrogance leaking out of his voice, a superior smirk littering his features. This new attitude of his wouldn't last very long, she mused a wicked smile playing on her face, which the lack haired boy pointedly ignored.

He took one step onto the base, two steps, and three…four…and boom! The bark beneath the boy's sandaled foot exploded and pushed him right off the tree, and in moments she could see the boy flat on his back, eyes wide. Getting closer to the exploded bark, she frowned. It hardly looked like much had been destroyed, just enough that the whiplash would be enough to send the boy flying.

"You could have warned me."

"I thought it'd be worse," Naruko confessed, enjoying the strained look on his face. "After all, when I first did this, I snapped the tree in half. Maybe Konoha trees are stronger…"

"…You knew it'd explode though?"

Naruko nodded her head slowly. "Well, duh. I thought it'd be funny to watch your face – it was."

* * *

 **Preview ~**

 _"It is," Hatake paused for a brief few moments. "…a survival exercise!"_

 _"That's not a mission!" Naruko argued crossing her arms over her chest, sending him an accusing glare. It wasn't nice to get her hopes up like that. "That's training."_

 _"Well, shortie. It's a mission because I said it was, and I'm the Jonin – not you," Hatake proclaimed._

 _…_

 _"Am I still allowed to do my Solo A-Ranks?"_

 _"No," the Hokage sighed, like he'd been expecting this. "Read the Jonin-sensei handbook, Kakashi."_


	4. Chapter 4

**A State of Living**

 **Chapter Four – Team Seven, Books and Blackmail**

 **A/N – So in the original I included a note here about the validity of the Naruko/Kakashi paring, and I figured, why not keep it? Alright, to clear it up the amount of romantic feelings Kakashi has towards Naruko is…0! That's right, _none_. At the moment, he sees a 13 year old smart mouthed boy, that's _it_. ** No **, the banter is _not_ flirting or sexual tension – most of the time she _actually_ wants to cause bodily harm to him. I don't want to spoil, but, when Kakashi starts having any feelings of attraction it's when he sees _the 17 year old girl._**

 **That's _after_ the time skip, and don't review with; "omg, but that age difference" or "Doesn't he see her as his student, ew". Having you ever read Vampire Academy? That was a 14 year age gap, with a 17 year old girl; ironically, where my inspiration for this paring came from. If you haven't, read it; it's _amazing_.**

 ****One last thing, _no_ , she isn't stronger than Kakashi. He just expected a deadlast from an Academy, _not_ a well-trained Ninja. (Naruko ranks about high Chunin in level. You'll see why.) *Keep in mind, she lived and was trained by Orochimaru; and a member of the Sound Four. **

**Thanks guys, and remember; enjoy, read, review! Xox**

 **So far, I'm really happy that you guys seem to like it! You all rock, seriously!**

* * *

 ** _Naruko POV_**

* * *

Days before the graduation test, the teachers of the Academy changed. They were all frantic, attempting to shove as much knowledge into the students heads as possible. So far, she'd been ambushed on three separate occasions to make sure she was taking this seriously. After Iruka had caught her leaving the bathroom, she was no longer amused by the man's antics.

She had, most likely, been on more dangerous missions than this guy had ever been. She was currently on the most dangerous mission of her life and yet all that was happening was her here, contemplating the death of the man that was 'teaching' her. He was simply annoying trash, honestly.

Never the less, the day of the exam came up and she felt the ease of the morning sun as she walked to the Academy. Sasuke was confident that he was going to pass at full marks, and with her help the past few months, he was sure to ace the physical portion with complete marks as well. Hinata, on the other hand, was a jumbled mess of emotions, but Naruko didn't worry for the shy girl either. She was better than she gave herself credit for.

The first thing she noticed upon entering her normal classroom, was the desks had large wads of paper stacked on them. She eyed them warily, before taking a seat in the middle; she needed to get here first because she needed the spot next to her mirror. A smirk filtered over her lips, considering the weight of her actions. She felt her body relax into her seat as she watched the other students file into the room, looking a range of excited, bored and terrified.

An amusing range of reactions for those coming into an exam room. After the last candidate, the lazy Nara, had entered the room; without a single glance about. Entered Iruka who had a stiff look on his face, his eyes touching each student in his wide sweep of the room. Naruko was thankful he didn't glance up at the roof. Though in all honesty, why would he bother? "You guys should know how this is going to go by now. You have an hour to complete this section of the exam, your time starts…now."

Glancing at the first question, which of course had to be about Konoha's elusive 'will of fire'; which she was certain couldn't actually be a real thing, that they thought they possessed. She rolled her eyes, before grasping the few practically invisible wires around her stubby fingers – her eyes focused on the teacher at the front of the room; who had been looking down for a few moments and she knew it was time to go. She glanced up briefly, only leaving her flickering eyes up there for the briefest of moments, and read a blonde girls answers.

Her eyes darted downwards, and jolted down something that resembled; _The Will of fire, was crafted by the First…_

Iruka never even noticed that she was cheating. Not that she thought he would be able to catch her, not really He underestimated her, and that would be his downfall.

* * *

"Uzumaki Naruto," Iruka's voice rang out from the room adjacent to the classroom where half of the graduated, and half the non-tested students still resided. This was it, not that it mattered. Becoming a ninja for Konoha wasn't something that needed to be done to further her plans, of course it would help to be partnered to Sasuke, but in the long run – it hardly mattered.

If she had planned herself properly, she should pass. Then again, she was unsure of the exact graduation requirements. Sliding out of her seat, allowing Ninja Wire to slip through her fingers, she began her trek to the door. Sliding the aforementioned object open, she entered the room – the picture of calmness. At least, it was what she'd been aiming for.

Her casually controlled gait came to a halt when she saw the teaching assistant that was seated next to Iruka. She recognized him, easily, her mind flashed back to three years ago when Orochimaru-sama had brought her in the room to take a ninja down to size. She had brutalized the man on his orders; the man had wanted to join the great Orochimaru-sama, not that she blamed him. But, the Leader wanted to know what this man could offer him; if not strength.

Naruko hadn't realized he'd gone into spying. How many people had Orochimaru-sama planted in this country? Naruko locked eyes with the man, wondering if he would recognize her. A spark of recognition flew upon his face, before denial made to cloud his expression.

Oh yes, he'd recognized her. She might have been mascaraing as a boy, but you weren't likely to forget the child who bet you down horridly in front of the mighty Orochimaru-sama.

"Naruto-kun, you just need to create two clones for you to pass," Iruka said, not noticing the look that was passing between her and his assistant. The brown-haired man's fingers tapped against the table, causing the forehead protector near it to jingle slightly.

"Of course," Naruko responded, slowly forming the correct hand seals and pouring the smallest amount of chakra she could possibly. "Bunshion-no-Jutsu."

Like magic, two versions of a short boy, with a more sickly pallor than the original appeared in a small puff of smoke. These things would never pass off a copy of her fake self, but, they looked like they were standing, and if you didn't mind the pale, sickly look of them, then it didn't really matter all that much. "Pass. Good job Naruto," Iruka said with a kind smile, eyeing the clones like he wasn't sure if they constituted as a pass. "Pick any one you want."

Naruko grabbed the closest one of the shiny forehead protectors and shot the silver-haired assistant (what was his name again?), a serious look. The man, looked extremely nervous. Naruko would have felt bad for toying with the man's mind but she had to be certain that he would seek her out later. If he did recognize her, he would seek her out. Hopefully, he'd do it before he involved anyone else.

She'd kill him if he was thinking of exposing her. With that last dangerous thought in her mind, the faux-boy spun on her heel and stormed right back out of the room. Huh, she'd actual managed to become a ninja despite the theory-heavy burden they placed on her.

* * *

The Hokage gave her a kind look, as he briefly rested his aged hands on the desk in front of him. Naruko resisted the urge to fidget. Had the man already leaked her identity? Was a double-spy? What would happen? Would she be killed, or interrogated? Leaving that classroom without a direct threat, or death, was not one of her more logical moves. "Congratulations on passing the graduation exam, Naruto-kun. I had been somewhat worried you wouldn't be able to keep up with the amount of work, but, you certainly showed me."

Naruko gave the old man a wary smile, she felt uneasy – though she stiffen and relaxed again very quickly, when she remembered that she was meant to be acting innocent. "Thank you, Hokage-sama. It was a challenge, but nothing my friends hadn't been able to help me with."

"Well, yes," The Hokage was suddenly in a brilliantly happy mood. "It is such a nice change to see the interaction between you and your peers. You haven't been finding any problems, have you?"

Naruko shook her head slowly, her mid spinning in an attempt to find the meaning of the Hokage's words. "No, I like it here in Konoha. Everyone is so friendly, and I can finally fulfill my dream of becoming a ninja in the country of my parents."

"I suppose that is a difficult task to complete," The Hokage mentioned. "This however isn't why I called you here, I need-."

Whatever the aged leader was about to say, was cut off by the door being thrown up in a loud display. Naruko winced as she witnessed a boy, at least half her height storming the office, shouting something about death. He held a wooden practice kunai, but couldn't seem to make more than a few steps towards the Hokage before he tripped over his scarf. The kid should have brought a smaller scarf…

"You! Devil! You have tripped me over in a cunning plan!" the little brown haired thing accused from his spot on the floor, his equally brown eyes were swimming with tears. "Do you know who I am!?"

Suppressing the urge to tell this kid that she didn't make a note to remember any sort of trash, Naruko simply raised an eyebrow. "No."

The boy had a look of dawning horror and outrage written upon his chubby features, as he pushed himself into a standing position – trying to balance precariously on his two chubby feet. He took an angry step towards her, his finger pointing at her dramatically; like it would make her apologize for her blunt behavior.

Before he could even get a chance to lecture her – who did this boy think he was? Had he seen many a battlefield? Had he had to fight for his life? He was nothing.

"Honourable Grandson! There you are! What are you doing!? You cannot threaten any of your Grandfathers Ninja!" The tall looking man, with a black bandanna stormed through the open doors behind the kid. The be speckled man gave her one look to say that it must have been her fought to begin with, before hoisting the boy up. "I'm sorry for the interruption, Hokage-sama."

The man bowed, and left; dragging the Hokage's grandson with him. "Well, that was certainly exciting," the Hokage said after a brief awkward pause. "Back to our conversation then, Naruto-kun. I want to know how you're feeling in Konoha. Have you had enough time to adjust? And more importantly, do you want to go down in my files as a boy, or a girl."

Naruko blinked, the annoying boy the last thing on her mind now. He would let her choose? Was this a trick question? Because of course her answer would be the same. "It's nice here, I have been treated warmly. It's nice, y'know? I kinda feel like I belong here but… I don't want to take the risk of being found out a girl before I'm ready. I don't think myself strong enough, yet."

Oh, she was good at crafting lies. Orochimaru-sama must have seen her potential to be this innocent, naive character. He must be so proud.

"I think forms can be arranged for you," The Hokage hummed a bit, thumbing through the stack of paperwork in front of him until he came across the one he was looking for. "We will keep this a secret until you no longer wish for it to be so."

"Is it required that my Jonin Sensei, know?" Naruko hesitated before asking that one. If she were to be working closely with someone of that calibre, she already knew she would have to be careful. She couldn't misstep, this was the hard part. She'd be under a much closer inspection.

"No," he responded like it was natural. "It isn't required. But, I do hope that he manages to gain your trust; it would sooth my mind putting you in the field, if someone knew about your secret."

It was when the Hokage said things like this, caring things, which she felt like she could actually grow to like this man. Then she reminded herself of who this man actually was. A brutal killer. He had to have been in on the Fourth's plan to kill her, because he as the 'next-in-charge' would have been next in line to perpetrate her death. And as someone that hailed from this place full of heartless criminals, she couldn't afford to grow attached.

No. It was get Sasuke, and get out. No attachment.

* * *

As much as she wanted to turn around and put a nicely placed kunai in the bolder that was following her, she knew she couldn't. Several attempts to lose it, also proved fruitless. She would have had to be an idiot not to recognize the trash that was following her about. Naruko rolled her eyes, and continued to walk aimlessly around Konoha.

She'd be an idiot to go back to her apartment when she was being blindly followed by a moving, and not to mention, made out of paper; rock. Naruko ignored it, in vain hopes that it would go away. "Uzumaki Naruto-kun!" a male voice, one that she had been actively looking for before her debarked with the Hokage called. Turning around she could see the slightly winded look of this silver-haired ninja. His dark eyes were narrowed, and untrustworthy. He held up the cover of a notebook, which had her faux-name scribbled over the cover.

It wasn't her handwriting though, and she'd never seen that book in her life. "You left your book behind today. I convinced Iruka-sensei to let me hand it back to you," the man said smoothly, shoving the book into her hands. "I hope you've enjoyed your stay in Konoha."

Blue eyes narrowed onto the man, who had a now smug look filtering over his face. Did he not sense the eight year old, hiding ten feet away from them? The Hokage's grandson o less? Could he not see the paper-made rock!? "Thank you for getting me my book. I know it must be so difficult for you to get the time," her tone was warm and friendly, but the look on her face, could have scared the bravest of men.

"Uh, yes. Naruto-kun. I am extremely busy, you are correct. Don't forget to look over your notes, every once in a while," he cautioned before disappearing. Naruko's hands clenched around the book for a brief moment. He dared to threaten her? He dared? This … trash?!

She would kill him, slowly. After she had completed her missions here of course. Why did this man, who was so beneath her think he could play mind games on her? Ignoring the presence of the rock, she turned on her heal and stormed home again. At least, her makeshift home.

The entire time, she ignored the rock following her. He wouldn't follow her up to her apartment, and she was right. Feeling the brief happiness that came with the success of actually managing something she set out to do, she slammed the door shut – and threw the cursed book at the wall opposite her. It hit the plaster and fell to the ground beneath it. Not moving. Although she was unaware why she thought it'd move in the first place.

It took her a few moments to gather up the courage for her to go gather the book again, and open the first page; but once she did, she dropped it again. In bold bright letters, read one word; 'NAMIKAZE'. Her eyes narrowed at the book again, bending down to re-pick it up. He was playing games with her. What made him think he had the level of authorization to play games with her? She was _his superior._ She would ruin him.

Realizing her hand was shaking, she flipped over to the next page – it was blank. And so were all the others after it. Was he simply telling her he knew who she was? What was going on? She needed to get the man alone, to question him. With this going through her mind, she moved over to her stove and set the book on fire before dropping it into the sink.

The page would never see the light of day, she thought as she watched the flames lick the side of the metal sink she had dropped it into. That and the silver-haired ninja would pay. Preferably, with his life.

The humorous thing was, that just moments before, she had been considering that not all Konoha ninja were horrid, but then this happened. Logically, she knew she was being threatened by someone who allied themselves with Sound; but, he was Konoha born and bred.

All of Konoha were scum.

* * *

The next morning, the girl left her apartment with a list of goals for the day. She needed to get her team assignment, figure out the intelligence of her new teacher, and confront the silver-haired guy. That a figure out his name, because it was becoming annoying to always refer to him as that 'silver-haired guy'.

Wondering down an ally, she quickly realized that something else needed to be done today. She needed to get rid of her annoying stalker. With a sigh, because this was certainly going to make her late. Naruko tore down a sheet from a nearby fence, only to reveal a haughty kid. "Ha! You have _finally_ penetrated my disguise."

"Get lost," Naruko said shooing the boy away. "I'm too busy to deal with your mild stalkerish tendencies."

"The future Hokage, doesn't _stalk,"_ the boy said his tone clearly outraged, as he threated the girl with a closed fist. "He _investigates_ people worthy of becoming his tutor!"

"Great, go investigate elsewhere," Naruko rolled her eyes in disgust. This kid already aspired to be like the other worthless nin here? "I'm too busy to be dealing with you today." With those words, she strode off in the direction of the Academy, she wasn't going to be late.

"H-hey! Wait! Do you still not know who I am?" The boy yelled, attempting to catch up with her but stumbling across a pot-hole along the way. Naruko snickered at his clumsiness.

"I don't care who you are. All of you are the same to me," Naruko retaliated, slowing her walk down to an easy gait when she realised that simply walking fast wasn't going to be enough to lose him.

"Aw come on, boss!" The boy said, a cheeky grin encompassing his face, as he hurried along next to her.

"I'm not your boss, nor will I teach you anything," Naruko replied bluntly. "You don't even know who I am."

"Sure I do; you're my new boss!"

Naruko's eye twitched, and she realized that her destination was just around the corner, and the idea of having this boy follow her around was not on her to-do list. Naruko stopped suddenly, causing the boy to go skidding, his bright brown eyes looking at her in a pout. Naruko studiously ignored the boy. "I'll make a deal. If you find out my name by the end of the week, I'll teach you something. But," Naruko said putting up one finger to halt the bouncing boy. "You cannot ask the Hokage."

"That's no fair," he whined, pouting his bottom lip out.

"Life isn't fair. Now go, I have more important things to do today."

"Fine! Boss! I take your challenge! I will figure out your name, even if it kills me!" he proclaimed boldly, hitting his chest with his ready-made fist, a dazzling smile on his face; before he tore down the street.

"Hopefully it does, bah, trash," Naruko mumbled under her breath with a sigh before, once again, continuing on her journey to the Academy. Once she entered, she realised that she was the last one in. Her newly graduated classmates were all gossiping with each other, trading tales in their loud voices. Were these Konoha's trained killers? She thought not. She hurriedly took her seat next to a brown haired boy, and his white puppy, her eyes going further into the classroom to find Sasuke.

He was there, seated in the middle of Hinata and the pink haired girl, Sakura. He didn't look very amused. As soon as she sat down, Iruka was yelling. It was nice to know that things never changed in this classroom. "Alright! Listen up here because I'm going to tell you all…"

Naruko wasn't ashamed to admit she had zoned out his the man's speech. She had greater things on her mind; like how she was going to confront the silver-haired guy. "…- Team Seven will be; Haruno Sakura, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Team Eight will be…."

Naruko nodded her head in understanding, but she wasn't exactly sure she understood this team. She had, after all, been informed that she would be getting the best female ninja of the year on her team. The pink haired girl, did not even qualify. After all, a mere month ago saw the first time the girl even managed to hit anywhere near the bulls-eye on the target. How can someone who lacked such a fundamental task, even become the 'best of the year?' She had thought the blonde girl, by the name of Ino was going to get it.

She heard a loud squeal after Sasuke's name was called, and a loud groan. She figured that her teammates were obviously going to get along swimmingly. It hardly mattered, anything that reflected bad on Konoha whilst in Sasuke's presence, was all that much better for her.

* * *

A lunch break, was something that Naruko looked forward to. Because during this lunch break, before they met their Sensei, she was going hunting. Granted, this form of hunting was extremely easy because all she had to do was go to the staff room, and knock on the door. It was opened by a haggard looking woman in her late thirties. "Yes?" she asked dully.

"Yes, I need to see the Silver-Haired-Sensei. He helped me out yesterday and I'm so grateful, I just need to thank him!" Naruko claimed, widening her eyes and smiling as wide as she could manage.

The woman turned her head around. "Mizuki! It's for you." The woman left the doorway only to be replaced by Mizuki. Finally. She knew his name.

"Yes, what do you – oh, it's you."

"Yeah," Naruko grinned, her eyes turning slightly feral, but maintaining the sweet tone of voice. "I just wanted to say thank you so much for returning my notebook for me. I would have been so lost without it! Heck, I might even have _killed_ people over it!"

"Then it's wonderful you got it back," Mizuki said slowly, inching the door closed behind him, so it was just the two of them in the hallway. The empty one, she'd made sure of that. "Though you thanked me yesterday. Why are you here?"

"Well, you can never be too sure that someone receives your thanks," Naruko explained, enjoying the panic that the floundering man was so badly trying to hide. "For example, if our leader were to try and convey thanks. Would you double check with him, or take it from the external source?"

"I would have to double check with the Leader, of course," he reasoned, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "I do not need to be reminded how to do my job, by you, of all children."

"I'm not sure what you mean, Mizuki-sensei," Naruko mumbled, lowering her voice several octaves. "I only just met you yesterday, what could you be implying by saying 'you of all children'?"

"I was unaware that he was sending someone to check up on my progress."

"He's not," Naruko finally responded to his flat statement. "I'm here because of another conflict of interest. You will do well to not almost give my position away."

Mizuki scowled at her. "This, right here, is where you're at fault, girl. Not me. I just wanted to make sure you were who I thought you were."

" _Boy_ ," Naruko hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously. "If you do something as obvious and stupid again, they won't even be able to find your ashes." Mizuki looked petrified, but he was trying to hide it well.

* * *

Re-entering the classroom, at least half an hour later than she was mean to, Naruko felt pleased. She wasn't all too concerned about being late to meet her new Sensei, after all, it wasn't like the man could teach her anything worthwhile. Still, she had done some gold-old threatening and left feeling a bit more like Namikaze Naruko again.

Naruko entered the classroom, only to face the glares of two impatient Genin. A quick sweep of the classroom ensured that no one else was in the room but these two. "Where were you Naruto? You're late!" Sakura questioned, her annoying flaring extremely quickly. Quick to anger, she realised.

"I was busy," was the only response that was given. "Wait, our teachers not here yet. So it doesn't matter."

"It still counts," the pink-haired girl said moodily, but she just ignored her and took the seat next to Sasuke. The boy, unlike her, merely quirked an eyebrow at her before resuming his task of staring out the window. Settling down to wait, it didn't take long for sleep to claim her.

She wasn't sure how long had passed, but she was being shaken awake by Sasuke and she blearily opened her eyes to an empty classroom. Not even Sakura was in it, anymore. "They're on the roof, possibly. We should go," Sasuke explained, standing up to make his way out the door.

Slightly confused, with her mind still foggy with sleep, she stumbled behind the boy as they climbed the staircase up to the roof. When they stumbled through the door at the top, and was able to fully see her new Jonin Sensei slouched across the bars – she wished she stayed asleep.

He just looked so lazy, that he wouldn't even notice any oddity that she might have. His white hair stood up, creating extra height for him, but it looked like he hadn't brushed it in years. The same stood for his wrinkly, unironed uniform, coupled with the fact that his only visible eye was hooded with sleep; much like hers should be. The man clapped his gloved hands together, with a false sense of cheer.

"Now that we finally have our new team together, although you two _are_ extremely late," he threw a look over to Naruko and Sasuke, the latter who looked ready to skin the man alive. "I figured we can start this off by introducing ourselves."

"What did you want us to say?" Sakura asked, although her voice did seem quite irritated still, she managed to maintain a somewhat sweet persona. It was actually… kind of amazing to witness.

"The usual," the man mused, rubbing his eye with his hand. He looked like he had just woken up. "Things you like, things you don't like. Hobbies, your dreams… you know I don't really care what you say."

"Do you want to go first then, Sensei?" Sakura asked, a brilliant sort of curiosity shining out of her green eyes. All previous anger seemed to be forgotten on her behalf.

The man rubbed the back of his neck slowly, closing his eye with a sigh. It wasn't strange for her to see the man with a mask on, what was strange however was the forehead protector tilted down to hide his eye. "Me? Are you sure? I'm pretty boring. Mmmm, right. I'm Hatake Kakashi. My likes are really cool, my dislikes aren't very cool. I have a hobby, but you're too young to hear about that… Oh, I had a rather nice dream last night, about a cat."

Her new teammates looked rather frustrated with his introduction, and Naruko was annoyed to realise that she only found out his name – well that, and he liked to do something that wasn't rated for children, and a distinct dislike for cats. If his tone was anything to go by. "You next, our resident sleeper." The joke sucked.

Naruko was not amused, but she repressed her anger, and tried to form an introduction. It did not help that all she could think about was the last time she had done something like this; 'my charka bites', like hell she could say that this time. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. I like Ramen, I dislike not having the funds to go and _buy_ Ramen. My hobby is to spend time searching for new places to eat Ramen. And my dream is to take over Konoha and turn every stall in a Ramen apparition unit."

Sakura looked disturbed, Sasuke rolled his eyes – and Hatake Kakashi laughed. "Alright, I'll be sure to remember that one. You next pinkey."

"My name is Haruno Sakura, I'm thirteen years old and I like… well, I like this boy. I dislike Ino-Pig. My hobbies are… intense investigations and my dreams for the future…" Sakura turned pink, eyeing Sasuke out of the corner of her eye. Fangirls were terrifying.

"Okay, then. That leaves you left then," he gestured to Sasuke. His only visible eye curving into what looked like a crescent moon. That was not natural. Naruko felt slightly disturbed by the way this 'teacher' of hers chose to show his 'happiness'.

"Uchiha Sasuke," he said in a clipped voice. His eyes glaring at Hatake Kakashi, but she could see the slight tremor in his voice due to prolonged time spent with the boy. She rolled her eyes, he couldn't be that disturbed by Sakura, could he? "I hate almost everything, and I like almost nothing. The only thing I want is the ability to _kill_ a certain man."

The awkward silence stretched out and she couldn't help the tiny smirk that appeared on her face. Was this his goal? Was a stupid introduction all it took, to figure out what he wanted? Orochimaru-sama would be pleased. Though, she reasoned, she should most likely try and figure out who he wanted to kill before she reported it back. She'd so be able to go home by the end of the year!

"That sounds like fun," Hatake's words were laced with a barely-there amount of sarcasm. "In the meantime though, I'm sure you all can be entertained by this little mission I've got for you tomorrow."

Naruko sat up straighter, losing the slouch she had developed during the time they'd been introducing themselves. This, she could be interesting. She hadn't been able to go on a real mission since she came here – ignoring the fact that Konoha was her mission.

"What is it?" Naruko butted in eagerly, she could feel the energy that had been sapped by sleep finally start to return.

"It is," Hatake paused for a brief few moments. "…a survival exercise!"

"That's not a mission!" Naruko argued crossing her arms over her chest, sending him an accusing glare. It wasn't nice to get her hopes up like that. "That's _training."_

"Well, shortie. It's a mission because I said it was, and I'm the Jonin – not you," Hatake proclaimed, rolling his visible eye. He sounded way too smug for Naruko to be able to keep her temper in check.

"I'm not _short_. I'm still growing, something that is extremely common in people my age," Naruko argued, standing up to better be able to glare at him. Sasuke sighed, his head dropping into his hands. Jonin? She could most likely, with the help of her actual team, kill him soundly. Yes, for the insult, she'd make sure he was the first one to go.

"He had to use the 'S' word," Sasuke grumbled under his breath, though Naruko ignored him.

"-back to the point," the pretend-boy glared at the Uchiha. "You can't turn training into a _real_ mission, because real missions are paid. You don't get _paid_ to train!"

Hatake eyed her warily, and sighed. He moved over slightly to put a hand on her head, ignoring the way her eyes started to twitch violently. "I foresee that I might have some problems with you. Fine. It's not a mission. It's a test, happy?"

"Extremely," she replied, eyeing him with distaste until he retracted his hand and she was left to look at the mess he'd made her fake-short hair.

"What's it testing, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura chimed in, the poor girls head looked like it was spinning. The blonde huffed, re-crossing her arms over her chest, before turning her head so that she could see the other buildings surrounding them, and not her stupid team.

"Well, first I think I should be telling you about the 66% failure rate-."

"Failure? You mean… but! What about the exam we just took!?"The pink haired girl looked outraged. Being taken off the team with the 'love of her life' would obviously be a hard blow for the girl.

"Oh that? That was the weed out the useless, leave me with at least a _little_ potential," Hatake explained.

"Can we pass without a member of our team?" Sasuke asked, and Naruko's gaze snapped back to the real boy. She hadn't expected him to talk very much during this introduction. She hadn't realised that her interaction with him would impact him in such a way.

"…You can figure that out tomorrow," Hatake said slowly, a grim sound entering his voice. "Look, you three need to meet me at Training Ground Seven, at six so I can evaluate you. After all, I need to make sure you're actually worth my time to train, bring all your ninja gear… That and you might not want to eat breakfast; unless you _enjoy_ throwing up!"

He gave them that strange eye smile again, leaning his back slightly over the railing behind him before he disappeared into a cloud of smoke. She heaved a great sigh the moment the idiot that had been placed as her teacher left, leaving her with plans she needed to form. It would be easier to get Sasuke out if he wasn't a ninja, but, what would the point of handing Orochimaru a non-ninja vessel?

What happened if you failed this test anyway? You lost all your chances and…. How long had these people been training? Since they were five, she assumed.

"Do you want to train with me for Kakashi-sensei's test tomorrow, Sasuke-kun?" The blush in the green-eyed girl's voice was visible for everyone to hear; though Naruko didn't have much of a mind to pay attention for it.

If you failed would you go back to the Academy? Ultimate failure, with all chances of becoming a ninja removed? "No, Sakura," Sasuke sounded slightly scolding. "Naruto, are you coming?"

Naruko looked up at the sound of her fake-name. It was genius making it so similar to her real name, because she was always able to respond to the name quickly. It would be so strange if she never responded to her name. Nodding her head she mumbled; "Yeah, sorry. I want Ramen first."

"Of course you do," Sasuke rolled his eyes, gesturing her to follow behind him. A chance glance back at their last team mate showed how upset she was by his dismissal in favour of someone else. Served the girl right, she shouldn't base her life around a boy of all things.

Shaking her head out of her thoughts, she caught up to the power-walking boy; smirking about the friendship she had managed to strike up with the previously silent boy. They quickly climbed down the stairs, and started a brisk walk for Naruko's new found joy – Konoha Ramen. Speed walking through the halls of the empty school in silence, she hardly noticed when they walked past Mizuki.

Sasuke did though, considering the boy walked right into the man. Sasuke stumbled back, glare already fixated on his fair features. Mizuki dropped the heap of scrolls he'd been hording in his hands, watching one of them roll down the hall – she found her poetic justice. "Hey brat, look where you're going, detention-. Uh, never mind," abandoning his previously rage filled eyes, he then turned to staring at her forehead protector with distaste.

"Congratulations on graduating," he said stiffly, his long arms bending down to sweep the scrolls up, and he disappeared with unsaintly haste. Well, he wouldn't even look her in the eye. Orochimaru-sama was going to get an update on how his spy was doing when she got back, she hoped that she was the one allowed to extract punishment on this trash!

"It makes me rather satisfied with having Iruka," Sasuke said blandly, picking up his pace again. "Seeing that."

Naruko nodded her head, not that she saw the benefit of any of Konoha's teachers. "What happens if you fail this test?" she finally said after they passed through the last of the halls.

"You worried?" Sasuke smirked. She rolled her eyes, no, she'd done more fearsome things than take some Konoha Jonin's survival test. Her eyes cast out onto the now bustling streets of Konoha; her eyes alert for the first place that looked like it sold that magical dish she had quickly become obsessed with.

"No. You on the other hand, I worry for," Naruko huffed, eyes locking onto a small Café. They normally sold Ramen, usually only miso. But it would do. "After all, you only just recently grasped the concept of chakra control."

Sasuke's eye twitched. "I thought we weren't going to mention that again."

"You said you weren't going to mention it again," she responded, face blank. "I never made such promises."

The Café was growing nearer and she used this chance to peak through one of the glass panes, her eyes darting to the overhead menu. Yes, Ramen was on the menu. Quickly she darted into the warmth, Sasuke managing to follow her with ease. "Where did you learn all of this stuff, anyway?" 

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," Naruko replied offhandedly despite the fact that she'd get into a lot of trouble if she killed this person. She sat herself down comfortably in one of the smaller booths, allowing Sasuke to slip in opposite her.

He raised an eyebrow. Had she not been emotional enough to let him know that she wouldn't actually kill him? She sighed. "You'll find out soon, don't worry."

He shook his head, like all he wanted was to know exactly what she was talking about. "We should create a plan for tomorrow," the boy mumbled, deciding to completely ignore the information she was teasing him with. "I will not tolerate failing."

"I'm glad to be included," she said dryly, thinking back to how he left the pink-haired trash hanging. She wouldn't have lasted ten seconds in Sound with her attitude.

Sasuke shot a flat look over the table, as the waitress approached them. "Despite the title of deadlast, I know you are anything _but_ that."

He was getting to know the little spy quite well, she mused wickedly. If only he knew what she was actually capable of!

* * *

After the second hour of waiting, Naruko decided that she was going back to sleep. She was not a morning person, and she heavily disliked being woken up in the morning. Morning were meant for sleeping. A person was not made to get up before nine, at the earliest!

"Wake up Naruto," the voice of that annoying brat… her target… Sasuke, assaulted her ears. She could feel his hand on her arm, shaking her. Blue eyes snapped open in an instant locking onto the offending hand that was trying to revive her from the land of the sleeping. The glare must have been something, because Sasuke retracted his hand warily.

"Finally, you know Naruto, I'm starting to think you don't do anything but sleep," Hatake confessed, the man was standing in front of the three genin (when did Sakura get there?) One hand on his hip, the other holding up a pair of golden bells; with a timer resting on the tree stump that was located next to where he was standing.

Naruko glared at the man darkly, cursing his very existence for making her wake up this early. This was not acceptable. "Not a morning person, eh?" he asked cheerfully, though he didn't give much of a chance for anyone to make a remark before he continued. "Then you're going to love this. This alarm here, is set for noon. You can sleep till it goes off, or actually attempt the test. Where you," he gestured at his three students. "Have to get one of these," one of the bells dangled, "from me, before the timer sounds. If you fail – you don't get to have lunch."

Naruko groaned wondering if it was worth being awake for, though Sasuke jabbing her sharply in the side did stop her from dozing back off to sleep. Hatake wasn't the most interesting of talkers. "You also get tied to the tree stumps you're all leaning on," he continued like he hadn't noticed the little byplay. "And forced to watch as I eat all of this food," his hands gestured back to the timer, which Naruko dimly noted, was actually placed on top of three bento boxes.

Three stomachs managed to growl in unison, she knew she should've eaten something, and she would've – if her brain had been working under full capacity, which it wasn't due to the fact that she was still half-asleep. "I'm glad to hear you all listened to my warning yesterday," he sounded decidedly bored. "Well, to pass all you need is a bell. Although I lost one, so now I only have two. So if someone doesn't get one; I'm going to send you back to the Academy-."

Sasuke glanced at Naruko at the same time her eyes looked over to him, a solid pact being formed in the few moments the glance had taken place. "—a disgrace. Use whatever you need; and don't forget, attack to kill. You won't really stand a chance otherwise."

At the words 'fight' and 'attack to kill', Naruko shot up, feeling oddly energized. Her grin widened when she noticed the slight surprise of the Konoha ninja she was with. "No problem," Naruko voice was borderline gleeful.

"Naruto! We could kill him! It's dangerous!' Sakura scolded, worry formed on her drastically wide forehead. Naruko snorted, if only she could be so lucky.

"You don't need to worry Sakura; I'm a Jonin. I should be able to handle whatever you three can throw at me," Hatake assured the girl. The fact that she needed to be comforted over the idea of attacking someone, which was basically their job description was beyond pathetic, and was remint of the trash the Sound Four would eliminate. Naruko snorted, rolling her eyes at the thought of what she could've been doing.

"Are we all ready?" he asked cheerfully, his one eye now focusing on Sasuke. She briefly pondered what he could be considering; most likely having decided that he was the biggest risk, most likely. "Yes? Right then. Go!"

Sakura and Sasuke both moved as soon as the words tumbled out of the older nins mouth. Naruko stayed still, her eyes focused on the navy-clad man, though not moving an inch. He looked back at her, and she could see the mild surprise by the way he rose his eyebrow at her.

"You know, the most basic principle of being a ninja is to be unseen," Hatake commented dryly. "Most take that as working form the shadows."

"What's the point? I need a bell, not to watch you stand there and form a dim-witted plan that won't work because I'm _trash_ ," by the end of her monologue, she had begun to mutter, eye twitching. The blonde stood up swaying, regardless of what she said it didn't matter. After all, she was the distraction; the decoy, and once he realised it, whatever she said would be disregarded.

"Well, that's one way to put it. You don't mind if I read a bit while we wait? I can't be bothered to wait for you to make a 'dim-witted' plan in front of me," he explained, though his eyes were narrowed at her. He reached over to his back pouch, flipping the thing opened before rummaging around for a moment and pulling out an orange book with the words Icha Icha on the cover.

Naruko couldn't help it, she turned bright red and had to fight against herself not to cower away from the dainty little book. That… That… thing. "Oh," Hatake tapped the book before opening it. "From that reaction, I'd say you've read some of this. You might not be a complete waste to train then."

"Y-you… pervert!" Naruko accused, trying to calm down the blotchy colour covering her face. Hatake shook his head sadly, like he was mourning the reason he'd lost.

"That's not very polite," Hatake contented, but Naruko was not having any of it. She needed to get the sudden flashback of words of Haru's adventures with Rae out of her mind. No, no, no! The blonde shot forward, as quick as she dared, and aimed her kick for his kneecaps. Hatake sidestepped out of her way; if she was a lesser person, she would have kept flying.

She wasn't a lesser ninja, quickly thrusting her arm out to catch the ground, and flipping over herself, turning to face the man sharply – only to see him halfway through reading a page. Twitching in annoyance, she propelled herself forward, lunging to his left – he was already preparing to step out of the way again, but she spun around her back right into the spot where he was going to step.

Her fist flew forward, his free hand catching the flying fist, she dropped her weight. Thinking that she was dropping the reach the bells that he'd just tied to his waist, he pushed her to the side. Her hands defiantly grabbing the orange book with the shove and pulling. His one good eye was wide realising what her intention had been.

The shock of the pretend-boy holding his book, seemed to freeze him for a moment. "Give me the book Naruto," he eventually said, his voice hard, and unlike anything Naruko had heard from him so far.

"Give me the bell, Kakashi," Naruko mimed his voice. Hatake's eye narrowed, before a barrage of Kunai cut his advance on Naruko off. Kakashi glanced up to the tree to see a smirking Uchiha looking down on him, using his distraction he nabbed one of Sasuke knives.

"If you move," Sasuke drawled, jumping down from the tree. "Naruto'll stab the book. If you try to stop him, you'll have to fight _me_ first. I'm sure that he can manage to destroy your book in that amount of time."

"So that's it," Hatake looked between the two boys. "You two working together on this one? What about poor Sakura? Her teammates teaming up without her."

"I couldn't care less about Sakura," Sasuke replied icily, and Naruko couldn't help but agree. "Naruto and I will destroy this book for you don't comply. Then, you'll have to try defeat both of us at the same time."

Hatake sighed, pinching the bridge of his mask-covered nose. "This isn't how this test normally goes," he muttered, annoyed.

Naruko made the split second choice to move the kunai until it was grazing the cover of the novel, most likely leaving little marks in the cover. "Hey, stop that! Do you know how hard it is to get that copy in Konoha? Fine! Have the damn bells; you managed to get the main jist of the exercise anyway. Now give me my book!" He untied the bells before throwing them at Naruko's feet.

She extended her toe to poke the things, in case they disappeared in a puff of smoke. They didn't. This book must be harder to get then she'd originally assumed. Naruko shrugged at threw the orange book at him; he caught it with both hands, his eye inspecting the cover of the book.

"When do we meet for training?" Naruko asked blandly.

Hatake groaned.

* * *

 **OMAKE**

 **KAKASHI POV**

 **TEAM SEVEN…PASSED?**

* * *

Hatake Kakashi wasn't in the best of moods when he approached the Hokage's office, four hours after he was meant to turn up, but honestly, who could blame him? He slicked though the office door that aerated him with his leader, after at least three looks of disapproval.

You would think his co-workers would stop giving him disapproving stares for his habitual lateness after the first ten years of it, but no. He had to resist the urge to roll his eyes. If he hadn't changed in the past ten years, why would he start now? Sitting behind the large desk that he had to report to one too many times, sat his aged leader, pipe dangling from his lips.

Next to him sat his new aid for the next few months, the past academy instructor for this group of Genin, Iruka. He would be back in the Academy when the next intake went through, a few more months still though, he thought. He couldn't really remember to be completely honest.

"Good to see you Kakashi, only four hours late this year," The Hokage hummed, not looking all to put out at having to wait. At least the Hokage didn't expect him to change, though, to be fair – Kakashi just assumed he was allowed to get away with it because he was a general assist to the military force.

"Sorry, my favourite book was being held for ransom and I had to negotiate for its release," Kakashi tried to sound offhand, and it didn't escape his notice that Iruka scoffed at his excuse. It was amusing, because most of his excuses had some sort of basis, no one ever seemed to notice it though.

Probably because he didn't spend time with people.

"How did your team do?" The Hokage questioned him, ignoring his excuse, his hand moving to pick up the paperwork that would put those three little brats into circulation or back into the academy. Dipping his pen into the ink, he watched as the Hokage already started to put the X next to their names.

He hadn't failed that many teams, had he? Only eight of them, that wasn't too many. "…They passed," Kakashi said hesitantly, though he didn't really count what happened as a pass.

The half cross that had appeared on the paper when he'd started talking was jerked horridly into a tick. Glancing at the paper, he honestly couldn't be sure what kind of shape the Hokage had drawn. The Hokage started to cough loudly, having to dislodge his pipe. Kakashi blinked slowly.

"You," cough, "did what?"

"I passed them?" Kakashi asked hesitantly, wondering if he wasn't meant to. Maybe that's why they always gave him teams, because they wanted the people on the teams to fail. "Naruto and Sasuke make quite a duo."

If only they'd include Sakura in on that friendship. "They worked with Sakura? I didn't think…" Iruka trailed off slowly, amazed but the pride was evident in his voice. Kakashi flinched. It was like he'd read his mind, mentioning Sakura…

"Actually, no. But they all show heaps of promise," Kakashi replied, not wanting to deal with the fact that Sasuke and Naruto both seemed to hate their female team mate. If Naruto calling the girl _trash_ was anything to go by. That sense of entitlement needed to change.

That and it wasn't like he could say; 'they stole my book and blackmailed me.'

This was better. "I didn't think you'd actually pass them," The Hokage admitted. "But I'm glad. Team Seven, as of today, is in rotation."

Now he actually had to put effort into something, wait… "Am I still allowed to do my Solo A-Ranks?"

"No," the Hokage sighed, like he'd been expecting this. "Read the Jonin-sensei handbook, Kakashi."

* * *

 _Preview_ ~

 _Sasuke sighed loudly before placing his now bare foot back onto the water slowly, attempting to gently push himself forward onto the expanse of water._

 _He gave her a triumphant grin, before taking another step forward. Smugness escaped from every pore, and she could see that annoying smirk he had directed at her. Naruko rolled her eyes. "Five, four, three, two…"_

 _"Why are you counting down?" Sasuke snapped._

 _"-one," she finished watching Sasuke flop into the water. His arms waved wildly about trying to gain a sense of momentum to keep him afloat._


	5. Chapter 5

Of All Fate's Designs

 **Chapter Five – Trust and Character**

 **A/N – Just letting you all know, no, Naruko is not a smart and powerful as she thinks she is. Actually, she has a bit of an ego issue – it's what happens when you're constantly told that you're the best, and everyone else sucks.**

 **That, and yes, the only reason she gets away with how she's acting is because Hizuren really, _really_ wants to believe her. Kind of a dangerous thing for a Kage, I know. This is a man, who refused to believe Orochimaru could do any wrong, and then still couldn't kill him. Jiraiya fought so hard to keep her there, was because of Minato and his sense of loyalty. I'm actually positive, that I've captured them in a Cannon light. **

* * *

When she actually became a Konoha-Certified Genin, Naruko thought things would be going back to what she was used to. The pace of her daily tasks, would increase back to the level she had been used to months previously. She had been somewhat excited for that, actually, finally she was back to long missions that took more brainpower than 'hit the target'.

She had quite naturally, been wrong about everything she thought was going to happen. Because anything she had prepared herself for, wasn't this.

 _{_

 _"Ah, Team Seven! Here for another mission, are you? Well, Wong-san here needs his fence repainted, and you look like the perfect team for it."_

 _"Good morning Team Seven. Today you're needed to deliver this package to Tea Country. Unfortuenly, I misplaced this mission a few days ago… And they really need that in about… oh, four hours?"_

 _"Ah, there you are Team Seven! I was wondering if I would be seeing you today. Kenji-san has put in a request for more farm hands, and I can tell you this one will be fun!"_

 _}_

This was not what she had signed up for, she thought mournfully when the team of nin once again gathered in the Hokage's office. What would it be today? Weeding? Farm Work? Painting? Delivery? Café Attendant? Wood Chopper? Cat Finder? Letter Writer!? Naruko shuddered over the pressure that such simple tasks were giving her; she was sure to develop a complex. Honestly.

She had only ever been subjected to such horrible missions once in Sound, and after that it was decided that the Sound Four should really never do a mission like that. It was best to leave the crappy missions to the trash, after all. "Good afternoon, Team Seven," the Hokage greeted, his tiredness seeping into his voice. "We only have one mission left today, and as it happens; I don't believe you've ever done this one before…"

"No! Anything but that!" Hatake butted in loudly. Naruko looked at him, slightly shocked, after all it wasn't everyday their anal relative teacher spoke out against the Hokage. "Uh, I mean. We're going to keep training, actually."

The Hokage did not look very impressed. "You've already been assigned it," he said blandly, flicking a smooth 7 next to something on his paper, throwing a mission scroll, allowing Sasuke to catch it. "You can't avoid one type of mission Kakashi. Enjoy babysitting."

The one thing that was her list of '1 thing I never want to do', would happen to be babysitting. After all, who in their right mind would leave her of all people alone with a child? Expect, no one here actually knew her, what she'd done, who she really was – so maybe, it shouldn't have as such a surprise.

Travelling to their next mission wasn't the hard part, though, she did have to repress the urge to trip Sakura over at least three times; and honestly, it was a testament to her patience that she hadn't done it already. Gearing herself when they reached the door, she steeled herself to take care of a child.

It shouldn't be too hard, all they did was sleep, right?

As it turns out, that was not all they did. She had been wrong, so very, very wrong. They needed to eat, and apparently, they needed to be entertained too.

Three hours into their seven hour long mission, Naruko found herself clutching her ears in pain, exchanging panicked glances with Sasuke. "Why won't it shut up?!" Naruko hissed at the black-hired boy who tried to dandle kunai, tried to throw kunai and eventually attempted to give the brat one to no avail.

"Girl, kid, thing, hey! Stop screaming or I'll cut your throat out!" Naruko ended up snarling after another few moments of the torture. Sasuke rolled his eyes, but said nothing. The little girl froze, staring up at her with big, bright green eyes. She wasn't fooled.

"Naruto, what did I say about threatening to kill clients?"

Her eyes swept from the now silent child, thank god, to her lounging sensei; who hadn't moved from the sofa since they entered this house. "I wasn't threatening to kill, it's closer to maiming. And might I add, the thing is a kid."

"I'm not a – not a, thing!" the little girl screeched, causing Naruko and Sasuke both to flinch back from the unnecessary sound. How was that things voice so loud? "I have a name!"

 _"I don't_ _care_ ," Naruko retaliated with narrowed eyes. "Now stay quiet if you want to keep that voice box!"

Hatake sighed. "Client, Naruto."

"Actually, no, this thing is not our client," she pointed out, rather reasonably. "Her _parents_ are. A simple 'thank you' would suffice."

* * *

Eye's slipped closed again much too often when they were waiting for their Sensei. She had been tempted to simply sleep in her bed for an extra few hours because she knew that he wouldn't turn up; but it wasn't worth the lecture from Sakura and the betrayed looks that Sasuke threw her.

So she settled for the second best. She brought a sleeping bag, it was this bright orange, high visibility thing, but it had been half price. Now, she was carting it to training every morning, and it made them bearable, almost. Sasuke didn't shoot her betrayed looks, and Sakura had only lectured her twice.

When would that girl realise that Naruko would kill her? She sighed, huffing into her warm overage covers. She wouldn't, because she knew Naruto – a mildly threatening kid, and not Naruko – a dangerous killer. "Yo!" a voice called out, and Naruko could smell a bit of smoke.

He was a bit early today, but that didn't mean she was going to get out of her warm, comforting sleeping bag. "Someone wake up Naruto," the same voice, of a man she hated, called cheerfully. "We're going to work on our people skills."

Before whoevers hand could even graze her, her hand shot out and grabbed the limp wrist. She opened her eyes, before hauling herself into a sitting position – still comfortably cocooned in her sleeping bag. "Don't touch me," Naruko didn't bother trying to hide the distain she felt towards the pink-haired girl hidden.

She almost flinched back, which was a far cry from the confident girl she had been weeks previous. It seemed being on a team where everyone hated you had some sort of impact. "Now, Naruto, Sakura was just trying to help. Say 'thank you Sakura'."

"Go to hell."

"Now this is why we've been banned from babysitting missions," Hatake sighed loudly. This caught her attention, and the attention of her two teammates. "Hana-chan told her parents about how you talked to her, Naruto, and they weren't too pleased."

"-you can get banned from doing certain missions!?" Naruko asked, eyes wide. She had already planned how she could fail all other missions so horridly, that she would never have to do a mission like this again! She'd be back to her normal type missions in no time.

Hey! Sakura might accidently die in one of those higher ranked missions!

"No, you can't get banned from all the D-Rank missions," he intervened almost instantly. "You'll get fired first."

Tch, she rolled herself back into a sleeping position, clutching her sleeping bag closer to herself. Today, she resolved, wasn't worth it. Before she could move herself back into a comfortable position, she was being roughly removed from her sleeping bag – the orange clump of fabric was then thrown over the shoulder of their sensei. Naruko glared at the older man for a few minutes, wondering if he had any intentions of returning her sleeping bag.

Mornings would be so annoying without it. "You'll get it back when you decide to be a good little ninja, and learn to suck up to your clients."

"I'm not little, and the clients are idiots who don't know what they want, or need," Naruko snapped back moodily. What importance did her people skills, or lack there-of have to do with missions? And did he honestly think that holding her sleeping bag ransom, was okay?

"I don't care what you think; as a ninja you need to be able to properly handle these situations with a level of professionalism," Hatake scolded lightly, rearranging her orange mess so he could hold it better. "You'll never progress past Genin with your skills."

"I'll just go into assassination, less talking, more killing," Naruko commented offhand, but judging by the looks she were receiving, this wasn't going to cut it as an excuse. She sighed. "I'll just buy another one."

"And I'll take the other one." Naruko glared at Hatake for a few moment, not caring much about the uncomfortable atmosphere that she was creating for her teammates.

"What did you have in mind, Sensei?" Sakura intervened, a vain attempt to stop the anger that she was holding. Damn these Konoha ninja, she'd be allowed to kill him eventually.

Hatake smiled that odd eye-smile of his, apparently completely forgetting that they'd been locked in a staring contest moments previously. "Well Sakura-chan, that I a good question. Nice and respectfully asked as well," he complimented, a strange tilt to his voice. Sakura beamed under the praise. "Even uses the word ' _Sensei'_ unlike the rest of her team mates."

Naruko glared, Sasuke glared – it was a good time all around. "Fine, you want to know what we're doing. Volunteer work. Unpaid, dishwashing, and serving food. Until Naruto-kun here decides he wants to use his manners."

Unpaid? They had things you do unpaid here? "What's the point of doing unpaid work?" she asked horrified, turning to Sasuke who merely shrugged his shoulders. And dishwashing? Serving food? Not being paid for her time that could be much better spent?

Why did he hate her? Oh right, it's because he made no effort to hide her mild distain for him before. "To help others," Kakashi replied cheerfully.

* * *

"Yo!" the voice of the day, of every damn day, rung out from somewhere in front of her. "Sasuke wake Naruto up."

Sasuke poked her ribs, she batted his hand away, slowly opening her eyes to glare at the older man. It was cold and slightly uncomfortable without her sleeping bag. "Why are you late?!" This was Sakura shouting, a wild fire in her eyes. The only one in the team that still cared.

Then again, she was the only one in the team not doing anything when they had to wait for the man. She normally slept, and Sasuke could normally be seen with a large book, or scroll. At this very moment, she was eyeing him as he stashed the scroll into his back pocket.

"Well, a black cat crossed my path and you know that you can't cross a black cat, so I had to go all the way around-."

"How did that take three hours?" Naruko's voice was sleepy but you couldn't mishear the blatant disbelief.

"It was a _very_ long road," he confessed, nodding his head sagely. She wanted to stick a kunai in his good eye. That's what she wanted to do. "Not that it matters, you were asleep," he pointed out. "Anyway, now that that's all done with; our training exercise for today! I have right here," he rummaged around in his back pocket before plucking out a box – throwing it as Sasuke, who caught it easily, though his eyebrow's skyrocketed.

"Build-a-Dog?" the incredulous voice asked, slowly lowering the box from his face. "What is the point in this? It doesn't help my training!"

"Sure it does," Hatake dismissed, sitting himself down next to Sakura who was torn between feeling happy and angry. "It's a teamwork exercise. Sakura will have the instructions, so you'll both have to listen to her to get the job done. Naruto will be the only one to touch the glue, which leaves you Sasuke, to actually put this thing together."

This… this was a complete waste of time. "Well what are you waiting for? Open it and give everyone their tasks!"

The Uchiha opened the box, using a kunai to cut open the sticky tape easily. He passed over the instructions, and handed her the tiny bottle of glue before tipping the condense of the box – numerous little bits of wood, onto the ground on front of them. "This can't hold enough glue to keep that many pieces of wood together," she muttered, holding the tiny canister up to her eye so she could survey it properly.

"They would've given us more if we needed it," Sakura chimed in, eyes scanning the page in front of her; trying to match the pieces on the ground with the ones on the paper.

"I don't recall asking you."

"Now now, no fighting," Hatake wagged his finger, a smile on his face. A copy of Icha Icha already clutched in his other gloved hand. "There's a punishment in place for anyone fighting too much."

"Punishment?" Sakura asked, sounding timid all of a sudden.

"Yes. It's simply horrible, best to avoid it."

The two 'male' team members rolled their eyes in unison, the paler one of the two, finally turned to the pink-haired girl. "What do we do first Sakura?"

"Right, Sasuke-kun," she floundered trying to pin-point the exact step on the paper. "You uh, need to get piece 12A and…"

It was not going to end well. These wise words should have been headed too, because not thirty minutes later, things were defoliating rapidly. "That doesn't go there Naruto! That's 2B, I said 2A!"

"Its same shape, it doesn't matter," she said dismissively. It didn't seem like it was such a big issue.

"Yes it does, tell him Sasuke-kun! Tell him that he has to do it right!"

"Stop trying to drag Sasuke in to fight your battles," Naruko snapped, feeling close to her breaking point. This girl was just so useless. She'd be dead if she had been put through even a quarter of the training that she had been. "In case you haven't noticed; he doesn't like you. Do you want me to spell it out? You are useless!"

The green-eyed girls jaw quivered, looking over at Sasuke for help, but he didn't say a word. Her hands clenched around the instructions that she'd been handed before turning towards Hatake, seeking another form of help. The white-haired man was deeply engrossed in his book though, and wasn't sparing her a second glance. "I was the second best student in our year… I, you were the dead last."

"Scores mean nothing," she shot back, quite enjoying the way that Sakura trembled under her fierce gaze. "It means I'm not good with tests. It also means that tests are the only thing your good at. Or did you forget the amount of effort you put into getting one of those bells?"

"I'm not… I didn't… You can't talk to me like that," she sat up straighter, any uncertainly she had before was now complete washed away. The brief surge of confidence from this trash, was something that Naruko was going to ensure the girl rued.

"I can do whatever I want, whose going to stop me; _you_?"

"That's enough Naruto," like lightening, a gloved hand rested on her shoulder. She glanced up to see Hatake's hard expression. Sakura's lower lip trembled, water building up in her eyes – and then, she abandoned her instructions completely before she tore out of the training field, with not a single word spoken.

Naruko figured the tears stared to fall before she left the training ground though. Bah, stupid trash.

"I guess this means that training is over for today, you're dismissed Sasuke," Hatake groaned, running his spare hand through his hair, though his other hand remained firmly on her shoulder. Sasuke stood up, glancing at her and the hand on her shoulder, before departing.

"I'm assuming you want a word with me," Naruko asked dryly, eyeing his hand on her shoulder. He then removed said hand so that he could move in front of Naruko, sitting down opposite her. She could tell he wasn't very happy, mainly because of his lack of slouch and the attentiveness of his gaze. It caused her to roll her eyes, why defend the _feelings_ of a ninja? They weren't meant to have any.

"Naruto, I understand that you are the type not to sensor themselves with what you're saying. My issue is that you could see how upset your words were making Sakura. The assessment of Sasuke, whilst true, was unnecessarily cruel. You didn't need to go that far to make your point," he rested the palms of his hands on his legs, the seriousness of his voice made her sit to attention. "Actually, I think I could conclude that you were purposefully trying to hurt her, even though she's your team mate."

She could never be teammates with anyone from Konoha. Her real team were the Sound Four. Though, she mused, he wouldn't understand that. "She'd get herself killed on her first mission out of Konoha with any real level of treat. Which might make it harder for me. I need someone I can trust to have my back. I think Sakura would purposefully leave it unguarded."

The older man sighed, raking his hand through his hair again – this time, slightly more agitated. "In a bizarre way, you sound somewhat concerned for her. Look, how would you feel if Sasuke started tearing you down, calling you useless, or trash?"

Naruko shrugged, first, she'd kill him. Then, no, no she wouldn't. Orochimaru-sama still would need him... "He wouldn't."

"It's a hypothetical situation," her gaze remained blank. "Naruto? You are the worst student I've ever had. You're lazy, unfocused and slow. You'd die ten minutes in a battle situation, because you sleep too much."

A blonde eyebrow rose, as she attempted to rein in her anger. He didn't mean it, he was trying to make a point. Calm, she reminded herself. She needed to keep herself calm. Bah! Trash say what!? "You don't like it very much, do you?"

"I think it's constructive," she responded with, her eyes on the trees the she could see if she stared at his ear. Calm, calm. "It gives me a baseline from which to improve my abilities."

Kakashi simply sighed at her. She was a lost cause, he needed to get over it. Idiot.

* * *

"It's called water walking, Sasuke, and it's the next level of chakra control," she explained gesturing to the shimmering lake behind her, lips pursed. He didn't look very impressed.

"What is with all this Chakra control? Why is it so important? All I want is power," the boy looked at the blue depths of the lake is berley veiled distaste. He shoved his hands in his pockets, scowling at her like she was sending him in circles purposely.

"By doing this, you reduce the output of the chakra you put in Jutsu, allowing you to use more – and use them to their full potential," she tried to explain patient. Though she was afraid that she sounded rather impatient. To calm herself, and grow her patience, she began to pace her side of the lake. She paused for a moment, turning back to the black haired boy. "Some Jutsu require more energy than others, if you over or under power any Jutsu, it could lead to disastrous consequences."

Like losing your eyebrows. She unconsciously smoothed over her fake eyebrows, thinking about the pair she actually had. Or rather, the lack of eyebrows she had. They had started to grow back, a month or so ago. Hopefully by the time she finished this mission, she'd have her eyebrows back. "So if you want to keep your eyebrows, you'll learn this."

Taking a deep breath to focus herself, she stepped out onto the lake before she slowly walked to the middle. She turned slowly to look back at her slightly shocked target. Whilst he might not care much for chakra control, he did seem interested in the ability to walk on water. "You need to channel your chakra like the tree-walking exercise, although, you need to be able to constantly change your output because of the currents."

Sasuke shrugged his shoulders before taking a few confident steps towards the lake. She rolled her eyes before she tried to call out; "You might want to take your shoes off-."

The sentence remained unfinished because the boy took another few large steps before his foot made contact with the water, and he was blasted off the water forcing him to stumble back, fall over and soak the lower half of his legs in water. The black haired boy gave her a dazed look, causing her to roll her eyes. Honestly, she tried to warn him. "Too much, you'll blast off. Too little, you'll sink into the water."

"Thanks for warning me, Naruto," he spat, leaning over to remove his shoes. You wold think he was being forced into this, by his tone of voice. Naruko just shrugged, at this rate, he would learn nothing – other than how to severely annoy her. Sasuke sighed loudly before placing his now bare foot back onto the water slowly, before pushing himself forward.

He gave her a triumphant grin, before taking another step forward. Smugness escaped from every pore. Naruko rolled her eyes. "Three, two…"

"Why are you counting down?" Sasuke snapped.

"-one," she finished watching Sasuke flop into the water. His arms waved wildly about trying to gain a sense of momentum to keep him afloat. Not before long, his head poked above the water again, though he was spluttering. With amusement the girl watched as he pulled himself out of the water, flopping onto the ground next to the lake. She quickly followed him, walking of course, so she could comfortably sit next to the half-drowned boy.

"Not as easy as it looks. You just wait until you have to spar on lakes, it's completely barbaric," she said easily, mind slipping back to a year earlier when Kimimaru had made it some sort of rule that sparing should always be on a lake. Sasuke's head shot up so he could give her an incredulous stare. "What?"

"How do you know all this stuff?" Sasuke's voice was empty of emotion, though he was eyeing her warily. She frowned, not knowing if he could be trusted with the truth. He couldn't she decided after a few moments of contemplation.

"I had a group of friends, there were five of us, now four… We kept ourselves alive," she said slowly, trying to stick as close to the truth as possible. "We learnt everything we could get our hands on. It was about survival, it always was."

"What made you become a Konoha Ninja, then?" Sasuke asked, looking insanely interested, finally actually managing to sit upright. The blonde looked out at the now tranquil lake.

"The opportunity to become stronger became apparent, why wouldn't I take that opportunity? Even if it meant abandoning everything," she said, a wiry smile on her face. "Wouldn't you do the same? Or have I misjudged you."

"In a heartbeat," the boy revealed before locking his jaw. She wanted to push, to question him further on the why, but she wasn't too sure the boy would take her questioning all too well, considering the scary look on his face.

Though, she did know that they boy would peruse power at all costs. He'd confirmed it for her. She would need to report that to Orochimaru-sama too. "Are you getting back onto that water, then?" she queried, a smile easily slipping onto her face as she stood, dragging him up with her. "I'm eager to watch you fail some more."

* * *

"Naruto-kun, how do you feel about your team? Has everything been working out well for you? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the work?" The Hokage asked, actual worry reflected in the depths of his eyes, his mouth dropping downwards like he didn't expect to lie the answer she'd give him.

"I have stricken up quite a close friendship with Sasuke, the team works well together. Kakashi-sensei has done well to fill any gaps I might have in my training," Naruko lied effortlessly. "It's all been very fantastic really."

"I see, whilst I am glad of that; I must enquire to a few c _omplaints_ I've gotten towards your attitude-."

"I'm not good with kids, I'm sorry. I tried to tell them to keep me away from it, but-," Naruko tried, mind racing. She should have thought that this would get back to the Hokage. This was a stupid move on her behalf, she should have known better. She needed to play her role better, she'd start, she resolved, the next day.

"While yes, I can understand that with fair accuracy, Naruto-kun; but, Hana-san's parents are demanding an official apology," he sounded fairly regretful. "Normally I wouldn't mind, but, as it happens, she is a Council child and I would do best to keep her parents happy. Will you write a formal apology, Naruto-kun?"

"How do you write a formal apology?" Naruko blurted out, eyes wide. She wasn't happy about this development.

"I'll send Yugao back over to go through these things with you; it will be like your Kunochi lessons," The Hokage granted, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. "On another note, are you anywhere near trusting Kakashi with your secret? I would feel better about giving you out of the country missions if he was aware."

Ah, good old pressuring her to reveal the truth. "I, just… Kakashi-sensei is wonderful, but I'm not exactly comfortable with it just yet."

The Hokage nodded his aged head slowly, moments passed without a single word passing though the atmosphere and Naruko felt like she'd managed to fail some sort of test. Was Kakashi reporting to him about her general behaviour? Of course he would be, right? He wouldn't have just let her into the village without servalience.

She'd been stupid. "Kakashi-kun is our strongest field shinobi residing in Konoha," the Hokage responded finally. "Perhaps, even next in line to be Hokage. He truly is the best we have to offer, I would make sure that anything he tries to teach to you, you really listen to. It could be extremely valuable in the future."

The Hokage refused to budge after saying that, and Naruko took his speech as; 'Kakashi is our smartest Jonin, equal to me. If you're playing us, he will figure it out. We're onto you.'

It looked like she had a fair amount of attitude adjustment to do. That, and sucking up to Kakashi. Kakashi-sensei, she reprimanded herself, she needed to start referring to him as that.

* * *

"Good morning my lovely team!" Hatake crowed the next morning, her orange sleeping bag still slung so casually over his shoulder – almost like it had never moved. She scowled at the sight of the object she had missed this morning, before catching herself. Naruko smiled and attempted to smooth out any eye twitch that started to develop. "Sorry I'm late, but I almost lost Naruto-kun's sleeping bag."

"It _fluorescent_ orange," it slipped out of her mouth before she could stop herself.

"Exactly," Kakashi uh, Sensei, said like it made complete sense. "Now, who wants a mission?"

The words he spoke, was like he expected the three to be happy, but the groans we're loud enough for someone in Sound to hear. Naruko it her lip, and tried to smother her anger. Be a good girl, good girl. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei."

The resounding reaction from the four words were, as she could put it lightly, extremely funny. Sasuke stated coughing, like he had something stuck in his throat. Sakura's eyes were so wide, and with her mouth open that wide she was sure to be inviting a colony of birds to stay in there. Hatake …Sensei, blinked a few times before watching her suspiciously. "I'm not giving you the sleeping bag back."

"No," Naruko ground out, once again, having to force herself to smother all outward feeling of annoyance. It would get easier the more she did it, surely. "I'm genuinely happy to get another mission. Now shut up and… I mean, can we please get on with it, Kakashi-sensei?"

She hadn't even notice Sasuke and Sakura exchanging odd looks their first moment of unity in the team; she was much too focused on Hatake and his willingness to accept this newly developed 'attitude' of hers. He twitched. "I don't know what you're up to, Naruto. But if it gives you less homicidal tendances, then I guess it doesn't matter."

Don't stab, don't stab. Stabbing is bad, she reasoned attempting to get up from her strangely tangled position only to trip over herself. Sakura giggled loudly at her predicament, whilst Sasuke merely rolled his eyes at both of them before stalking after Kakashi. Naruko found it impossible not to throw a glare at the snickering girl, before she too, followed after the rest of her team.

She tried not to notice the way Sakura cowered, and she tried not to feel too pleased with herself. Naruko frowned when she realised that this needed to change. No matter how annoying Sakura was, she needed them all to believe she was being a 'good girl' that would not, under any circumstances be a spy sent to kidnap one of their Genin.

* * *

"Aha! Boss!"

No. No, no, no, no! Naruko strode forward faster, she didn't care that she was now walking next to Sakura and Hatake; or that Sasuke as watching her warily, coming to walk next to Hatake. "Hey boss! Wait up!"

Naruko increased her speed, hoping that none of Team 7 noticed that the boy's crazy screaming was actually directed towards her. Or in their general direction. It was a folly, though, to walk up to the other half of their team, because Hatake was eyeing her and Sakura was flinching away from her. Bah, trash.

"Hey!" the voice sounded way to close, and she had to quickly side-step to avoid the boy crashing into her frame. Regrettably, he collided with Sakura who wasn't at all prepared for an eight year old boy to come barrelling into her, and she fell, taking the boy with her. "Who're you?" the boy grunted, detangling himself from the girl who just pushed him off her before standing up.

"Watch where you're going!" Hatake and Sasuke both paused in their trek to watched Sakura's ungraceful fall at the little boy who took her down. Naruko took an uncertain step back, how had he found her? Shouldn't he be in the Academy? He was older than five, right?

"I didn't mean to get _you_ Lady," the boy snapped, huffing in a way that puffed his cheeks out wide. To her horror, he suddenly turned to her. Eyes darted to the rooftops behind his head – he couldn't follow her there, but then her damned team… "Boss! I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"I know," Naruko responded frowning. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Sakura pull herself up, mouthing the word 'boss?' "I'm doing a mission. Go away. Wait, shouldn't you be in the Academy?"

The brown haired boy shrugged, turning to eye the three ninja gathered behind him interestedly. "This your team Boss? So cool! The Academy's boring, all they do is math and History! Can I join your team, Boss? Please!?"

She could see Sasuke's confused expression from a mile away. "No, you can't. Do you not remember our deal?"

The boy's face fell. This was horrible. "Right, but it's not fair cause' I can't ask Gramps and how else am I meant to know?"

"Not my problem," she snapped, edging around the boy to get to her team, that didn't look very eager to move. They were all happy to watch the interaction with some form of sick pleasure. "Now leave me alone."

What had even started this kid's obsession with her, anyway? She shot a look at her team, which was only headed by Sasuke. The other two were arseholes. "But Boss… Aha! Hey, old man! What's his name!?"

"Who? Naruto?" Hatake responded before she so much had the chance to whip around and threaten him.

"Aha! I win Boss! Your name is Naruto! Ahahaha," the boy broke off sounding deviously happy. Her shoulders slumped knowing she couldn't claim that it wasn't her name with all these witnesses. "Now you have to be my Boss and teach me the cool Ninja thing you do!"

"I'll tell your grandfather that you skip class to stalk me," she threatened. The boy's face drained, all traces of humour that had been on his face previously whipped clean.

"B-but… you wouldn't…!"

"Wouldn't I? Go to class, brat," she ordered, hands on her hips like some sort of deranged caretaker. Almost like someone heard her silent wish, he nodded his head miserably before dragging his feet towards the academy. Heck, if she'd known threatening the boy with the Hokage worked so well, she'd have done it way before now!

She turned back to the shocked team with a frown. "Well? Don't we have some weeds to pull? What are you waiting for!?"

"Sorry Boss," Kakashi chimed in. She'd kill him slowly with a pitchfork. "We'll get right to it."

"Go screw yourself…" Naruko muttered under her breath, eye twitching; trying to ignore the female teammate who was still mouthing 'boss?' Bah, trash.

* * *

After an eventful day full of missions, and a rather long amount of time dedicated to thought and how she was going to go about her 'attitude adjustment', she finally figured out her first big step. So after they left the Hokage's office for the last time that day, three missions completed (a new record for them), Naruko spoke up. "Sakura, would you mind if I talked to you?"

The pink haired girl flinched, a scared look entered her eye. Trash with a capital… no, she had to stop thinking as them all as trash… maybe she could, no, she needed to stop, or this would never work. "I, uh…"

Tra-, the girl couldn't even create her own response… how… silly? Yes, silly. "Do you mind if I tag along, my cute little Genin?"

She hadn't been anticipating that, though, it could be a good thing. She could twist this to her advantage, she was sure. "O-okay then," Sakura mumbled, pink cheeked.

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "I don't care what this is about. I'm going home," he grumbled before turning off at the next street, already headed towards that apartment of his. She needed to go there, she decided suddenly. What hidden clues to the boy that she could find just by glancing at the place he lived?

The three of the remaining members though, continued to walk a fair way before Naruko felt at all inclined to say anything. After all, she needed to reformat her words now that she knew Kakashi would be listening. "I wanted to apologise," she said finally; starting to get sick of Sakura fidgeting. "What I said the other day, was incorrectly put and mostly due to excessive pressure."

"What?" Sakura asked, like this was the last thing she thought Naruko would ever say to her. She was right, but she wasn't Naruko right now, she was going to become Naruto. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Hatake crossing his arm over his chest, a single bored eye drilling into the side of her head. Naruko tried not to grimace as she nodded.

"I was feeling angry at the teamwork exercise. Which only escalated the anger I was already feeling because you tend to make Sasuke uncomfortable," this was something that she knew was true, but he hadn't said anything. Though the girl did visibly deflate. "He tends to complain to me. I was getting tired of it; though now I realise I should have handled it in a more calm and rational manner. I am sorry I hurt your feelings."

Lie, lie, and double lie! "Sasuke-kun doesn't feel comfortable around me…?" she sounded like she was going to cry. Belatedly, she realised that this most likely wasn't the smartest move on her behalf. Bitting a lip, she cast her mind around for a way to fix it. Then her eyes landed on a mop of white hair.

"Think of it this way; how would you feel if a guy was constantly harassing you to spend time with him, asking you out on dates, touching you when you don't like human contact," she added the last bit on with some humour. Sakura palled. "When all you want to do is focus on your training, and develop your skills?"

"But… it's different…"

"Because you're a girl, and it's cute?" Naruko asked, eyebrow raised. Delighted to see the girl going bright red. "It's not cute. I know if I were Sasuke, I'd be twenty feet in the opposite direction of you. Do you even know anything about him?"

The pink haired girl floundered for a moment, green eyes considering the information she handed over. Naruko did not in fact, want Sakura to train more – she didn't need Konoha Ninja to be any stronger than they were now, though, she did hold onto hope that Sakura would quit and they would get assigned someone else. Hopefully Hinata.

"He's cool, strong, cute, and really smart," Sakura answered after a brief struggle. A sarcastic smile wormed its way onto her face, man, fangirls were just pathe-, silly.

"He's none of those things," she cut her off before she could start listing body parts. "He's sarcastic, his punches are _weak,_ and yesterday, he spent way to long mulling over the meaning of the word 'allude' for him to even be considered that."

The look on Sakura's face fell even further, shuffling her feet; she cast her depressed gaze back over to the disguised girl. "Oh… Maybe I… Thank you for saying sorry Naruto. I'll… think about what you said some."

She god damn better, and then realise that she didn't want to be a ninja; and only wanted to follow around Sasuke. Then she'd quit, and they'd get a better ninja on their team. Naruko watched as the girl's shoulders slumped further and further down the more she walked away. Oh, she'd crushed her! She tried not to let her glee show, after all, Kakashi was still standing right there.

"I'm not sure it counts as a real apology, but… it's a start," the older man said finally, his one good eye cast out to watch Sakura's retreating from before he looked at her firmly. "Why'd you do it?"

"I felt bad," Naruko lied, and Kakashi didn't pull her up on the lie. Hey, maybe he even brought it.

* * *

 ** _Preview;_**

 _"Yes," she said, cool and confident. "It was stupid, I guess. I wrecked mine and Ino's relationship over a boy. How stupid is that?"_

 _Naruko wisely choose not to comment. "Though, thinking about it now… I think, I really want to get to know Sasuke as a person. And, maybe… really focus more on my job and not a boy."_

 _No, no! Why? Why! She'd failed!? "Thank you Naruto-kun, for… pointing it out to me. How silly I was being."_


	6. Chapter 6

**Of All Fate's Designs**

 **Chapter Six – The Border of Confusion**

 ** _Read, enjoy, and leave a review! xox_**

* * *

Naruko didn't particularly have very much time to just sit on a park bench and think. She had way too much to do. Responsibilities because of Team 7. Befriend, and kidnap Sasuke. Befriend, and covert Hinata. Divert attention away from herself. Organise a tragic accident that would kill Mizuki—maybe she should leave that one for later. She sighed, leaning back on the bench taking in a deep breath of fresh air. For that split second, she wasn't a spy, or a killer, she simply was.

It was relaxing. So of course, it wasn't allowed to last. "Naruto!" A bright voice, of a much too chipper girl called. With a sigh at the interruption, she reopened her eyes, feeling all that relaxation slipping from her. Oh, it was only Sakura.

"Sakura," Naruko greeted in what she felt was a welcoming voice, which still said; 'go away'. Of course, the tras—silly girl didn't seem to hear it. She happily took the little bit of seat towards the left of her body.

"I wanted to thank you… You reminded me of something yesterday," Sakura sounded oddly wistful. Oh god no. "I was thinking about exactly why I liked Sasuke-kun so much and I couldn't pin point it, and then I remembered…"

"You're not going to tell me your life story, are you?" Naruko muttered, eyebrows drawing together. This was her three hours off. Hers, dammit! Sakura, of course, ignored her.

"When I was a little girl-"

"You still _are_."

"—I was bullied heaps, until one day Ino, a girl from our class. She stood up to the bullies for me, and I decided to join to Academy and become strong, plus Ino was doing it," she paused for a moment, grimacing at her own words. Good because it sounded stupid. "Then when we started Ino was so popular, and I wasn't. It kind of felt like…."

Why was this happening to her? She didn't care, _she didn't care!_ "Like I wasn't enough to be her friend, you know? Kind of silly really. But then there was Sasuke, he was so cool, and everyone liked him. I felt like if I had Sasuke, then I would be good enough to be Ino's friend."

"Are you telling me that you based your self-worth around a prepubescent boy?" Naruko asked, voice flat. She couldn't believe what she was hearing!

"Yes," she said, cool and confident. "It was stupid, I guess. I wrecked mine and Ino's relationship over a boy. How stupid is that?"

Naruko wisely choose not to comment. "Though, thinking about it now… I think, I really want to get to know Sasuke as a person. And, maybe… really focus more on my job and not a boy."

No, no! Why? Why! She'd failed!? "Thank you Naruto-kun, for… pointing it out to me. How silly I was being."

Oh god damn it. The girl's eyes were shining with happiness, and Naruko did something that in the future she'd grow to regret. She gave the other girl a bright smile, because she had no idea how to respond. Sakura's cheek tinged with a bright pink hue, a shy smile working its way onto her face before she – giggled – actually giggled, waved, and walked away.

Naruko didn't think she ever wanted to understand Sakura.

* * *

XoX

* * *

The mere thought of the phrase 'D-Rank' was starting to send chills down her body. If someone mentioned 'painting' when she was in the vicinity, she would break out in a cold sweat. If someone so much as happened to mention the word 'baby' when she was around, it looked like she would physically break out into tears. She couldn't stand this stupid mission, for Orochimaru-sama or not. It was torture, and she felt like Kakashi was actually attempting to torture her to see how long it would take her before she snapped. She had been a good little Konoha Ninja lately, no threats, nice and polite – and this is where it'd gotten her?

"How far away is the target, Shortie?" The sound of the man she'd previously been contemplating sounded through her headset. She didn't even need to supress the urge to roll her eyes, she just huffed and ignored the barb. The _untrue_ barb.

"Five meters and closing, Boss," Naruko replied, an evenness to her tone that she hadn't been aware that she possessed. Her eyes caught on the 'target' of this mission, it was strained but she could make out the distinct shape from her perch in the tree.

"Duck to Shortie," the voice of Sasuke crackled through her ear-piece, and she didn't even have to see his expression to not hear his annoyance. "Set and ready."

Blue eyes narrowed onto the fixture in front of her, the demon – sorry, target was resting peacefully beneath the foliage, unsuspecting of what was merely moments away. She was not fooled for a second by the innate innocence the creature excluded. "Princess to Shortie, set and ready."

At this, Naruko did actually roll her eyes. Honestly, how did Kakashi come up with these names? She could get Sakura being a 'Princess', but hers and Sasuke's? It made no sense. Mainly because she was _not_ short, and Orochimaru-sama's new vessel was not a duck. "Shortie is in position. Boss?"

"Go!" Kakashi chanted over the headpiece, sounding delighted to get the watch the resounding show. Briefly noting that Sasuke and Sakura had both jumped down the second the order was issued, cutting off both exit ways. She had a passing thought, why was it always up to her to actually catch the damned thing? With a sigh, she leapt down – landing on top of the already hissing creature.

How it managed to make its way out from underneath her, she would never know. What she did know was that her sharply trained reflexes allowed her arm to shoot out at an incomprehendable speed to grab the collar of the demon. It was a sparkly pink thing that had no business being in existence, but it was simply too tight for the demon to wrangle out of.

Sighing again, this time with dread, she pulled the mutant with brown fur towards her body and tried to ignore the claws imbedding into the skin around her neck. Kami, how she hated Konoha and their D-Rank missions. "Confirmation of appearance, ribbon on right ear with 'tiger' inscribed?" the words buzzed through her ears.

"Duck, what did I say?"

A light groan was followed by the words; "Confirmation, Shortie?"

"Shortie to Duck, we have our target," she glanced down at the blood seeping from her wounds, which had coated the claws of that stupid cat. How could anyone think this animal was anything but a demon? With a huff, she jumped up to reunite with her team – all of whom looked relieved to not have to be anywhere near the fur ball.

The cat hissed at Kakashi when Naruko finally managed to make his way next to the man, he cringed away from the cat before motioning for his team to get to the Hokage's office. Naruko shared a blank look with Sasuke as she slipped next to the boy as they ran. "This is a waste of our skills," Sasuke muttered to her frowning. She mirrored his look of discontent, her eyes on their white haired, and pink-haired ninja in front of them.

"I agree," was all she said on the matter. She didn't exactly want to be overheard telling Sasuke that other countries didn't do this useless stuff. She didn't want to be pinned with trying to make him defect. Even if that was the ultimate goal of her existence at the moment. The boy gave her a calculating look, most likely attempting to depict her rather short amount of words.

Her eyes though, we're firmly planted on the building they were running towards, not paying the boy any lick of attention. He was an attention freak, she realised, all she needed to do was shower him with attention and he was sure to follow. The thoughts swirled around her head, slightly unattractive and mostly vindictive, that she tried her hardest to supress as the team entered the Hokage tower.

After a manner of useless, and annoying procedures, they were ushered in front of the Hokage and a chubby woman hastily snatched the demon from her hands, hugging it so much the cat started to whine. There were times, where she wondered why they needed to report back to the Hokage after each mission, surely he had better things to do with his time?

"Thank you for getting Tora-chan back for me!" the old lady squealed, happiness radiating out of every pore, but Naruko knew she couldn't be that happy. The cat would be running free by next week.

"Good work Team Seven," Iruka sounded extremely bored with the casual thanks of the recently left woman. He sat next to the Hokage, who merely puffed his pipe. "Next up we have, baby- oh no, not that. Um, Delivery to the Land of Tea? Uh, Digging up sweet potatoes-."

His speech was cut short by a loud crash outside of the office and a cry of; "Tora-chan, no!"

"—or finding Tora," he added on the end, without a beat of hesitance.

"Actually," Kakashi said sounding horridly awkward, stuffing his hands into his pockets, a light desperation about him. "I was wondering if Hokage-sama would allow us to do a C-Rank?"

No way! He wasn't? Was he? She exchanged a glance with Sasuke to see him mirroring her shock. Had he been listening to their brief two-sentence conversation? Was he onto her being a spy sent to force Sasuke to defect!?

"You did read the handbook, right?" The Hokage asked slowly, much to the confusion of the three Genin. At Hatake's nod, he continued. "Then if you think your team is ready, then I don't see the harm."

Iruka looked at the Hokage, decidedly forlorn, but made no move to intervene. Naruko looked up at Kakashi with wide eyes, what was his angle? Why was he doing this? "Team seven, you will be tasked with protection of an individual. A bridge builder, more accurately. Someone bring in Tazuna."

The door slid open behind the team, and Naruko turned to catch the glimpse of her first taste of freedom. This was it, finally! She'd been getting uncommonly bored simply sitting around delivering packages. A man, an older man stumbled past the threshold, his beady drunk eyes focusing on the three Genin. A frown formed on his face which made his large beard twitch strangely. "What's this?" he waved the previously unnoticed bottle of Sake at the team. "This has to be a joke, right? I ordered actual ninja!"

"Well not the best, I'm pretty sure at least one of them is," Kakashi responded cheerfully, and Iruka didn't even try to hide the alarm at hearing this comment.

"I am Tazuna, the renowned bridge builder! You will see me safely back to my country, even if it costs you your very lives!" he proclaimed, stumbling over his feet to get a little bit closer to the ninja. This was why she chose never to actually associate with her clients.

"Right," Kakashi drawled the word out before turning to look at his students. "You heard that, pack for a standard C-Rank – and don't forget to bring water this time Naruto."

Naruko's eye twitched, but she managed a semi-congenial smile. The client looked ready to kneel over and beg for his life, which helped to amuse her and smooth any residual anger. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei. Don't forget my sleeping bag."

"Are you _sure_ they're ready for a C Rank Hokage-sama?" Iruka chimed in hesitantly, looking back and forth between the students and the teacher. Sasuke snorted, and Naruko actually rolled her eyes. Of course, it wasn't like she wasn't currently doing an S Rank or anything.

She politely ignored the small voice in the back of her head, saying that the teacher, and everyone around her was unaware of this.

* * *

XoX

* * *

Waiting was another thing she was quickly becoming accustomed to. She had never managed to have to wait a very long time, most ninja had a great sense of timing; this evidently, did not extend to Hatake Kakashi. It was also her luck, to be assigned to Hatake Kakashi. Naruko groaned, sliding down the pole she had been leaning against until she hit the ground with a solid 'thunk'.

Naruko closed her eyes, wondering when Kakashi would return her sleeping bag. He had no authority to detain it for much longer. Groaning, she closed her eyes, deciding that if she was going to wait three hours for this man, she was going to do it asleep.

"Someone wake Naruto up, honestly, it's been five minutes."

Her eyes snapped open as soon as she closed them to see the picture of Hatake standing in front of the team. He was here. On time. He was here, and at the time he said he'd be. "Why the hell are you here?"

"Why, we have a mission Naruto-kun, I would've thought you knew," Hatake responded cheerfully. "You have after all been glaring at me in the mission rooms for – well, forever."

"You're on _time_ ," she finally pointed out, like it should have been obvious. He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, and shrugged his shoulders, like this didn't bother him in the slightest.

"Is that not normal?" The client asked softly, looking down towards Sakura. Who in turn shrugged her shoulders, as if to say, 'I have no clue?'

"We're leaving," Kakashi finally muttered, shaking his head slowly grumbling about what sounded like 'no trust.' Ignoring the man normally went better for her than actively engaging him in conversation so instead, she followed them out the gates.

The path they found themselves on was filled with rocks pocking through the sides of her sandals (she hated sandals, now), and annoyingly placed pot holes forcing her to keep her mind on the ground beneath her. The fact that they were quite literally surrounded by trees, did nothing to quell her fear of being crushed by a branch falling down. After all, if this path was in such a state of disrepair, then what would that say about the trees?

"Tazuna-san?" the voice of her only female teammate broke through her slight panic over the trees. Granted, staring at them like they might attack her, was going just a little bit overboard.

"What do you want?" the man snapped, obviously getting angry due to his lack of alcohol and a fear for his life. They really couldn't trust those trees, she mused as she felt her foot sink into yet another sink hole. What was with this path!?

"We're going to the Land of Waves, right?" Sakura asked, an innocent curiosity tinging her voice. Green eyes darting through the trees to focus back on the man, briefly flickering over to Naruko, before fixating on the man, she must be bored.

"What of it?" he snapped, voice beyond mere irritation. His red rimmed eyes glared at the young girl who merely bristled at the man before turning her attentions onto someone she knew would pander to her questions.

"Are there many ninja in Wave, Kakashi-sensei?" she quirked lightly. Oh, was she perhaps, attempting to actually prepare herself for this mission? Damn pink haired little girls.

"Not really. Too small; though we might run into a local Ninja family, they tend to pop up in small towns," Kakashi shrugged his shoulders like this didn't really bother him. That they really shouldn't be bothered by this information at all. "They don't really take orders from anyone. Only a larger country, like ours, with a more substantial amount of Ninja are governed a Kage; ours being the Hokage."

"How do they train if not in the Academy?" Sakura asked, a strange tilt to her words, like she was considering several different things at once. Naruko flinched from that question, though she kept her eyes firmly on the road ahead. She also, didn't stop listening.

"Traditions and techniques passed down through the family," the second oldest man said after a brief moment. "They would have experience fighting common thugs you'd find around the country. Although, you shouldn't worry Sakura. It's only a C-Rank, you don't need to worry about encountering anyone that has had any sort of extensive training."

Naruko rolled her eyes; who the hell would waste money trying to kill someone who built bridges? He didn't look rich either, so he most likely wouldn't be mugged. With a hefty sigh, she kept looking down for what she felt would be her biggest challenge – holes in the ground. After a few moments, with nothing but the scorching sun battering against her neck; Naruko noticed a hole, which was filled with water.

A god damned puddle, she rolled her eyes figuring that at least this would be something she could easily spot and avoid. Even if the weather did make her want to kick the water up to cool the backs of her legs, it really was getting warm- wait a second!

Before she could fully form a proper thought, metal chains exploded out of the puddle she was just contemplating about; before she could react, the silver objects curved around Kakashi, pulling in close before the sound of ripping stumbled through her ears.

Was this literally the best Konoha had to offer? Was the Hokage high when he told her that? In the absence of her teacher (how she wished she'd been the one to end it), Naruko surged forward, ducking under the chains that made their way towards her instead.

Sasuke dove right over the top of her, kunai in hand ready to embed them in something. He slipped around the chains, much like she had – they were dangerous, yes, but lacking the element of surprise, they were also slow. Slowly, she started to grin and it wasn't a fully sane one either.

Nodding to the black haired boy, they both dove for the ninja that they weren't facing. Naruko quickly took advantage over the slowness of the chains, and used her more acrobatic moves to fully twist herself out of harm's way. She ducked, down, bent and twirled; until she was too close for him to fully use the chain to his advantage.

Naruko knew how to beat chains; back in Sound, chains were her weapon of choice. Though, mainly formed out of her chakra, but same same. With quick precision, she ducked underneath the chains coming back towards her and rolled to the side of the man, who now realised what she'd done, and tried to slow them again to move towards her.

The weird thing about chain users, they hardly moved. With a bright grin the dove for the man's knees, slashing them and earning a cry of pain for her efforts. Oh yes, she'd missed this. Before he could retaliate though, she had slipped her leg underneath his bleeding ones and forced him to topple over.

Losing control of his chains, was not something he could help though – and they flung themselves back to him when he fell. Naruko darted out of the way just in time to see the man get impaled by his own weapon.

How fun! Glancing over at Sasuke to make sure he hadn't died, she really should learn to focus on more than one thing at one, she found he had too, defeated the other Ninja, sans the pooling blood. He obviously didn't have as much fun as she did. Though, he did look a tad too pale, like he was going to either faint, vomit or do both.

Realising that no one was going to say anything, she eyes the chains with interest. She could get practice in with her favoured weapon if she had a valid reason to, though, the ones from Sasuke's guy were much cleaner, and not saturated in blood. Decisions, decisions….

"Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, are you two okay!?"

"Good job guys, you managed to avenge me!"

Naruko groaned and slumped her shoulders, if only she'd been so lucky. He'd faked his damn death. He really shouldn't get her hopes up like that. "Why did they attack us?" Sakura asked, shockingly alert though she trembled slightly. "You said that we wouldn't go against trained Ninja."

Naruko glanced over his shoulder to spy the white-haired ninja nodding his head, though his eyes were focused on the two enemy ninja; in particular, the blood splattered around the one she stood next to. "I don't know Sakura. That is a question, for our client here. You hired us for a C-Rank; these guys here make it at least a B-Rank. Even if they were idiots who gave away their positions."

Naruko tried not to stick out her lower lip, why hadn't she noticed before they attacked? Was she some sort of idiot? Was she the trash she called others!? No!

"You see, these two men; are in my Bingo Book which makes them way too dangerous for us to actually do this mission," Kakashi continued savagely, not leaving any room for the man to argue. "This mission should be handled by Jonin, and half the time; I'm not sure if this team should even be _Genin_."

"…Then we quit?" Sakura asked hesitantly, interpreting Kakashi's sudden silence as an invitation to talk. Tazuna, looked a bit too shocked to form any sort of response until then.

"No, please! Wait!" the old man begged, his eyes holding a true amount of sorrow. Not that she cared. "I haven't been honest, but only because Wave is poor. We couldn't afford it; our every hope to survive as a country rest on this bridge! This is man, a billionaire – his name is Gato. He is a tyrant, running Wave into the ground! No one is safe from his schemes!"

"Gato? As in Gato Shipping and Transportation? Third richest man alive? That Gato?" Kakashi quizzed, watching on as the old man nodded his head glumly. "Hmm, what do you think, my cute little Genin?"

"If we continue, we'll face an opponent of greater strength, right?" Naruko asked, her love of a great fight already starting to cloud her judgement. When the white-haired teacher nodded his head, she grinned. "I'm in."

Sasuke tilted his head to the side, pausing for the briefest of moments. Knowing the boy, he was considering her words carefully, and thinking about the opportunity to test out his new skills. "I'm in, as well."

"Me too," Sakura tacked on, after a few more minutes past though her words more hesitant than theirs.

"Well then, I guess you got lucky Tazuna; now remember we have to be extremely cautious from here on… yes Naruto?"

Naruko grinned, happy to have her impatient face acknowledged. "Can I have their chains? Chains are cool. I want to learn how to use chains!" the excitement she felt, even though she could already use chains, was in no way faked. Her team watched her warily, but she ignored them, instead choosing to bounce on the spot. "I'll be good with them?"

Kakashi sighed, rolling his one good eye at her exuberance. "Do you have anything to carry them in? And you won't be able to use them in this mission, you realise?"

"Most Jonin carry a scroll to seal stuff in, don't you have one?" Naruko quizzed, ignoring the part about having to wait to use them, bah! She would, but only as to not arouse suspicion about how amazing she was at it. She really should start carrying around sealing scrolls, she mused, then she wouldn't have this issue in the future.

Kakashi sighed again, like she was asking for his left leg. Crossing his arms over his chest, he levelled her with one of his more serious stares. Like the one he gave her after she tore through Sakura, judging her worth. "If I don't?"

"You do."

"What are you going to do for me in exchange for the sealing scroll?" Kakashi challenged instead, easily falling into another casual argument with the pretend boy. She could see Tazuna's hesitance, most likely still worried about who he hired being half-way decent. This man, had absolutely no idea who he hired.

"What do you want, Sensei?" She asked him cautiously. He was most likely going to say something stupid like; be nicer to your teammates. With this in mind, she relaxed, it wasn't like this man was overly intelligent. He was from Konoha after all.

Kakashi tapped his chin slowly, before giving her that odd eye smile again. What did she say? Idiot. "A favour, take it or leave it."

"Fine," she agreed readily, not understanding the full impact of what she said. She after all, just wanted to be able to start using chains again. It'd been too long; heck, it would be nearly a year in a few more months. The ability to use chains, was worth having to do something (most likely due to her harsh nature) for the man.

He grinned from behind his mask, and she rolled her shoulders back before catching the promised scroll with an extended hand. Quickly making the decision to take both sets of chains, even if he set was all bloodied up (they could be cleaned). After all, you never knew when they might come in handy.

The team and their client quickly resumed their travels after the brief pause, which included Sakura looking decidedly green, she figured that all the blood was causing her to be somewhat sick. Sasuke's curious stares, she would have to explain to him just how beneficial chains were as a weapon. And an extremely bored Jonin, who was most likely pondering which perverted novel he wanted to read next.

Naruko found it hard not to touch the scroll that was safely tucked away in her baggy pants pocket. Chains as a weapon, were as amazing as Ramen was food. It didn't take long, however for the novelty to wear off, and the true boredom of this trip to sink back in. After all, she still had to watch the ground so she didn't accidently step in any holes.

It was actually due to the numerous holes, or maybe it was the sound of their client's shuffling feet, that made her ecstatic to find that there was a boat waiting for them by the river. The man that governed the boat wore a massive hat that covered nearly all his features, but he was timid, and unsure with his movements.

"Tazuna-san, come in, come in. We must make haste," the man muttered, his voice hardly above a whisper as he ushered the team into the boat. Before this man climbed in after them he glanced behind him, right into the great expanse of knarred trees. "You must all be very silent. We don't want to be caught."

This somewhat made sense with the man's erratic behaviour, he was scared of being killed via his association with Tazuna. She didn't blame him either, even if she found the quivering mess the man was pathetic. The Sound Four had killed men over less help being extended to their enemies.

The one thing they didn't tolerate. The thought of failure. She watched on as the hidden man fiddled with the engine of the boat, pulling bit and bobs to the side, arranging things until a soft hum of power began to fill the silence. The water they cut across was untouched and peaceful, the only ripples that he could see were the ones they created. No animals to disrupt the peace, no sounds to mar her ears.

It would have been oddly peaceful, if she hadn't been gearing herself up for an epic fight. That was of course, if Kakashi allowed her to fight. He would obviously attempt to engage the more powerful enemy; though she held onto hope that they faced more than one.

Time whizzed by faster when they were on the boat than they did when they were walking. Naruko figured that it was due to the fact that she was enjoying the silence, and the opportunity to not have her feet sink into the ground. By this, before she knew it, they were approaching a small wooden dock that hardly looked like it could hold anyone's weight without cantering into the water.

She toyed with the idea that this would happen, and imagined half the team – everyone sans herself and Sasuke, going crashing into the dark depths of the ocean, never to be seen again. It was a silly thought, after all, at least Hatake should know the water walking exercise. The boat slowed by the deprived looking thing; the man that had gotten them there, had an aura of dejection.

Did he not want them to make it through the still waters, and make it out alive? "I am sorry, Tazuna, I can't go any further… but, please be careful," the man whispered. She was beginning to think that this man was unable to talk in a voice any higher than a whisper… Wait? They could go further? Aw, come on Kakashi! Make him take us further, she thought desirably, shooting her superior a look that convey her feelings. They could threaten him to do so, no worries!

Hatake either didn't know what her look meant, or he was ignoring her. So she had to follow Sakura out of the boat, mourning what a great idea it could have been. All that needed to be done was pull a kunai on him. It wasn't something she hadn't done before.

"Don't worry about it, you've done more than I can even thank you for," Tazuna replied as he got off the boat, a truly grateful look gracing his features. He could have done more though, if only motivated properly. Mere seconds later, the soft hum of a boats engine filled her ears again, and her eyes watched on as the boat sped back in the direction it had come.

Such a waste. Mourning the idea of what could have been, she dejectedly followed on behind the rest of their team. She was only reassured that this rock littered path they found themselves on, had no holes, and she didn't have to focus on not stepping in one. Thank Kami for that. Though, the sound of shuffling feet was soon to reach her ears, causing her to wish for certain death.

The sound while irritating, was no more irritating than her boredom was. Missions like these sucked for one reason, it involved slow travel and no danger for extended periods of time. Quite innately, she scanned the surrounding area cataloguing everything she saw; almost completely sure that she wasn't going to have another puddle issue. Why hadn't she noticed that something was up right away?

Was she, heaven forbid…slipping? With that thought on the forefront of her mind, and her ability to be a 'throw happy' sort of person, she slipped her forefinger into the hole of one of her kunai, and threw it into some of the deceptively green foliage. She didn't bother to focus on Tazuna rearing himself backwards, or Sakura's surprise littered face – she just kept walking.

"What was that for?!" The man's voice was strangely high-pitched for a man, and held an edge of panic. The blonde shrugged, trying to continue walking but having to stop due to the man's shock over a flying projectile.

"Thought I sensed something, it's gone now," she explained. "I'm a bit throw happy. There's a reason I'm not a sensor."

Added to the fact that she could sense all sorts of things, she just couldn't tell things apart.

"He _is_ very throw happy," Sasuke mentioned casually, diverting any sort of argument before it could happen. Though his eyebrow did twitch in annoyance. Being her new sparring partner, she figured that she might have stabbed him one to many times. "Yesterday he threw a pair of chopsticks at a bird."

"That bird wanted to kill me," she defended herself heatedly. Sasuke, didn't need to include that and it left her pondering exactly when he gained the will to talk to others. Not that she minded this side of Sasuke, the sassy side made it almost bearable to spend so much time in his presence.

Sasuke smirked in his superior sort of way. The explanation though, hadn't done much to calm down the rest of the group, even if it was amusing that the Uchiha seemed used to it. "You might need to be a bit more careful when you throw dangerous pointy things around, Naruto," Hatake started to lecture, though he sounded like the whole thing was boring him. "You could - everyone get down!" he ended up shouting, leaving no time for argument, dragging Tazuna and Sakura down with him.

Bah tras-, the girl couldn't even dodge a large shining sword flying towards them. Though, she admitted, she should have been faster herself because the blade hardly passed over the top of her head. At least she dodged herself, and didn't get the idiot—uh, Jonin, Kakashi to help her. Regaining her standing position, she severed the oddly shaped sword that was now embedded in an old tree, right at her head level.

It was a pretty nice sword, and when another Ninja, a rather tall imposing fellow jumped down to land on the unstable thing, she was hardly shocked. The extremely muscular man she noticed, had a headband that was pushed to the side of his head, a deep slash right through the symbol present.

They were fighting another missing ninja? Her lips twitched, already planning the day that she could do that with the Konoha headband that she was currently supporting. The eyebrow-less freak stared at them all for a few moments, before his small brown eyes locked onto Kakashi's onyx one. Then he grinned.

"Momochi Zabuza, The Demon of the Hidden Mist," Hatake actually managed to sound delighted and resigned in those words. Demon, huh? "A challenge I would have welcomed any day, that wasn't today. I guess, I shouldn't handicap myself then," he mused, before righting his headband.

He was giving himself full vision, well good for him. Eyeing the headband as it moved, she was privy to seeing a nasty scar cut through his eye, leading further up into his hairline. Though the reason for the headband, was not due to vanity for the scar. His eye was blood red, three black tome marks, which reminded her oddly of a cursed seal, surrounding the pupil. What on earth was that?

"Copycat Kakashi. I have always wanted to fight the child prodigy of the Hidden Leaf," he admitted freely, jumping down from his sword and landing solidly on the ground. "Though I must agree with you, today is really not my day. So, hand over the old man, and we can fight to the death later?"

"Ah, can't do that. I'd fail my mission, and the paperwork for that is simply horrible," the man said cheerfully, which completely counteracted his stern stance. The pre-battle verbal fight, ah, how she loved those. It was the best way to psych out an enemy before going into battle. "Now you three, Manji formation, and for the love of anything, don't get into this fight. You'll most likely die."

Naruko bristled at the insinuation. The man, Zabuza laughed loudly, and it wasn't a very pleasant sound, at all. "A battle to the death it is then," he sounded extremely pleased with this, and if his face wasn't covered with a bandage-like mask she felt he could have a crazy battle face on. He leaned backwards, hand on the handle of the cleaver, and pulled. "It'll be fun."

By the time the last word had spoken, he had disappeared and reappeared standing on the nearby lake. It waters were dark and depressing, though Zabuza's presence hadn't altered the calm state of the body in the slightest. Pale hand's started to form hand signs, dark humour evident in his eyes as she started to notice the mist crawling around her, building up until she couldn't see two feet in front of her.

Must be why the called him The Demon of The Hidden _Mist_ , she thought sardonically. "This man is known for his silent killing, keep calm, and don't let your guard down," she heard Hatake's voice warn, even if she couldn't pinpoint the direction it came from.

Rolling her eyes, she knew that she hadn't let her guard down for nearly a year now, and she wasn't about to start. "There are eight targets," a raspy voice whispered into her ear, and she swore she could feel his breath on her neck. She trashed her arm out to be met with nothing. "The throat, spine, lungs, liver, kidney, heart, the jugular vein or the subclvian artery… Which vulnerable place shall I choose?"

Twisting around to fend off the feeling of spiders crawling over her spin, she found nothing where she was looking. That wasn't saying much, given the fact that she couldn't actually see anything. Though the taunting, put her on edge, her muscles tensed and her mind whizzed with possibilities.

"Stop panicking, I won't let you die," the voice of their Jonin-sensei cut through the strands of panic that had already begun to wrap their way around her mind. She didn't have her team here, she didn't have anyone she trusted to cover her back – she didn't… clam…stay calm.

A dark laugh echoed from around the clearing, the origins, still remaining a complete mystery. "Oh, I wouldn't count on that one," the raspy voice from before claimed, an insane humour colouring his every word. He sounded unstable, her sort of battle.

Before she could fathom exactly what was happening, she could feel warm from behind her that wasn't there previously, and with the mist clearing slightly – she was privy to the sight of the imposing man standing in between the three Genin, sword on the neck of the man they were hired to protect. Before she could format a proper response to the threat though, it'd already been taken out.

Via the form of a white-haired ninja holding a kunai that he then stabbed through the lightly lined chest. The blonde was stunned by the speed and efficiency of her teacher, after all, she had thought he was a useless idiot, but this…?

Zabuza dissolved into a puddle of water, the liquid smashing against her blue shoes. Glancing up, she could see the missing ninja behind Kakashi, poised and already cutting through his midsection before she could even open her mouth. This speed was amazing, they left no room for error, no second to think things through.

She watched on as he too, dissolved into a liquid which was gladly accepted by the earth. Reappearing mere inches behind the man that had killed his clone, he held a kunai to his jugular. "I expected this to be harder," he mumbled before pulling the kunai taunt across the man's throat, only… the man was no longer there, but beside him, directing a crazed look at Kakashi.

He pulled his arm back and allowed his sword to run free towards the Konoha nin, who ducked and skidded backwards, feet dragging though the water before he came to a complete halt just after the birth of the lake. "I'm not one who disappoints," Zabuza said sardonically, running after him.

"Why?" he started again, when he was mere inches from the man. "Suirō-no-Jutsu!" he called, smugness radiating from his very voice. With a twisted sense of fascination, she watched a bubble of water form around Hatake, though still encompassing the missing-nins arm.

He couldn't move, or he'd free Kakashi she realised at once. If she could use her chains... which she couldn't… she'd be able to destroy him easily, though she had already set herself up for failure by the rout. "K-Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura called, dawning horror on her face, lip quivering and most likely planning her funeral.

Naruko wasn't far off, though, she was a talented ninja, and how was she meant to win a fight when the easy way was barred to her? Would she actually have to expend effort? Why would she need to save Kakashi anyway? She didn't need to, she could just take Sasuke and walk away. She was sure he wouldn't mind.

"Mizu Bunshin-no-Jutsu," Zabuza called, interrupting her thought process with an identical copy of himself rising out of the water. The clone looked amused to be faced with three Genin.

"You little wannabes, tryin' to fit right in with your hitai-ate. You're not real ninja at all, the test of death, of murder has yet to be passed; you little brats," the clone goaded them, even if he sounded like the words were too dirty to belong in his mouth. Naruko rolled her eyes, she'd killed many an enemy, she wasn't about to go broadcasting it. The clone walked forward, each step a jerky motion of over-confidence, then he rested nearly an arm's length from the group.

"Hey, take the client and run. Clones can't go too far from the body, run!" the sounds of their despite teacher echoed through the field, and she assessed his words for exactly three seconds before she grabbed Tazuna's arm and pulled.

He was a good alibi for leaving, after all. In case that man didn't actually die. "B-but, hey, Naruto-kun what are you doing?" Sakura stuttered, her wide eyes glued to the hand she'd attached to the old man.

"I'm gone, coming Sasuke?" Naruko threw a look over to the black haired kid. "You can stay and die if you want, I'm attached to having both my arms-."

"Coward," Sakura said, with her extremely narrowed eyes. "Sensei needs us and you – you _coward_!"

"Fear of death is perfectly natural," she explained rolling her eyes at her obvious lies. Tazuna though was nodding his head eagerly, not quite prepared to die himself. "So we're gonna… What are you doing Sasuke!?"

Noting that the normally stoic boy wasn't next to her like he had been moments previously, she looked out at the black haired boy who was in the process of throwing an impressive looking fireball at Zabuza's clone, forcing it to dissolve.

"I want to test my skills, wasn't that the reason we decided to continue this mission?" he asked her rhetorically. His eyes glued to the Jonin standing on the lake, his genius little mind already creating possible mauvers for him to take. "Or is your memory really _that_ bad?"

Naruko groaned, would Orochimaru-sama still accept him if he was possibly maimed? He wouldn't, and he'd be very displeased with her for not stopping the maiming from occurring. Sasuke was literally tying her hands. "Hey, none of that. I told you to run!"

"We should listen to Sensei," Naruko mumbled, letting go of the Bridge Builder's wrist. She couldn't let Sasuke die. She sure as hell did not want to be the one to incur the Boss's wraith when he realised that she'd left his new vessel to die. No matter how stupid he was being.

"You never listen to Sensei anyway, what's one more time?" Sasuke was goading her and she knew it. Naruko stepped forward till she was standing next to the taller boy. In unison they strode forward, in an attempt to stop and kill them, Zabuza summoned another two clones; how nice, one for each of them.

Before she could become shark bait, she lunged forward, ducking under the tall man's arm. Being short, did sometimes come with its privileges. Before the man had a change to turn around, she had a kunai stabbed through his knee. The best thing about clones, they were usually a one-hit kill sort of thing.

Knowing that the Uchiha could handle another clone, she faced the real thing again, already decided on taking him out before Sasuke could even attempt to. This was actually, the lesser of two dangerous situations. "Oh I think I like this one," Zabuza commented, dryly, his eyes focusing on her kunai clad hand curiously. "Didn't even flinch when digging a kunai into my skin, didn't flinch from death. Didn't know Konoha would have it in them."

Naruko ignored him, once again, and took a few steady steps onto the lake before the missing ninja stopped talking and frowned at her. "It's your last chance to run, brat."

Naruko ignored him, though she fully agreed that this was a fight that wasn't worth it. She had to, after all. Even if she had no idea what she was doing and how she was going to do it. Walking into a deadly situation without a plan wasn't something she would normally do, but, her hands were tied. She had to. With a flick of her wrist, the kunai that she'd just used to kill the clone was flying through the air, pressing through Zabuza's layers of clothes.

The Missing Nin flinched when the cool metal pierced the skin on his shoulder, a frown marring his face. Naruko frowned as she watched the cool, red blood drip down his toned arm. Her eyes locked with his, and she watched as a blood thirsty grin swept through his face. Like Sakon, when he had found a particularly strong opponent, one that he felt he would enjoy fighting.

Steadily she took more steps forward, Zabuza grinned, forming more clones to come out of the water and halt her process. The first one that sped forward to kill her, she tensed and readied herself – her fingers gliding over the kunai in her pockets. Before she had the time to draw them out, and send them flying. There were kunai flying over her head, and the clone dispersed back into the lake they were standing on.

Naruko glanced back momentarily to see Sasuke's smirking face. A smirk then began to grace her face as well at least Sasuke wouldn't let her die. Hopefully. "You know, kid. You would've done well in Kiri. You might even," his monotonous tone was broke up by his dark laugh. "Have passed our graduation exam. The pair of you even. Though I think you would've won in the end, blondie."

"Won?" Naruko paused momentarily, eyebrow raised in confusion. She logically knew that she should press forward, but her body was stayed by curiosity, plus, it gave her a few moments to plan a mode of attack.

"…The Demon of the Hidden Mist, Zabuza," the tone that Kakashi was using was tinged with disgust, his eyes glaring out at the Mist Nin. "The aptly nicknamed village of the 'Bloody Mist', had a graduation exercise. One that is the most inhumane, and difficult test imaginable."

"Oh, so you have heard about it?" Zabuza asked delighted, like he hadn't heard the disgust in the man's words. Naruko glanced down at the water beneath her, wondering if the man could somehow control the flow of the water, when he was stuck in the position he was.

Could she trip him up with a chain… underneath the water? Attentively, she allowed one of her chains to form out from the back of her ankle, a hard thing to do, but something that Orochimaru-sama had wanted her to be able to do, something she was extremely glad that had happened. She pushed the chain as far down as her chakra was able to, then she began pulling it up, underneath the distracted man.

"Our graduation exercise," he was saying fondly. "Students that had been friends, who shared their dreams, and became best friends, attached. Like the two of you," he grinned, and Naruko could start to feel the strain of the chain being formed too long, and began to twist it upwards. "Those friends would fight to the death for a chance to graduate. It was a blood bath! Then, ten years ago… the Village Elders decided to rewrite the Graduation Exam, because the year previous a student did the unthinkable…" Zabuza trailed off, looking off with a wide grin on his face.

"A human fiend slaughtered the entire new batch of ninja, a boy that wasn't even in the graduating year," Kakashi finished grimly, his tone on a flat base. Naruko took this as her cue, and the chain of pure chakra wrapped itself around Zabuza's ankle and pulled.

"Hehe, yeah, wai-," Zabuza began to chuckle, sounding way to cheerful with what the white haired Nin was saying, then the man jerked down, his arm getting pulled out of the Jutsu – setting Kakashi free, though his arms failed, trying to keep himself above the water.

Then she pulled a bit harder, hoping that Kakashi wouldn't notice the chain. She pulled faster, trying to remove all traces. Zabuza quickly disappeared underneath the water, and Naruko did nothing but stare out at the man, her face a stern mask of concentration. She didn't even notice Kakashi stand up, she was busy counting. Many Ninja could last a few minutes without breathing underwater. He just needed to stay down for a few more minutes.

Kakashi glanced down into the murky expanse that was the lake, and up again at Naruko, this time taking the effort to right his headband over the red eye. "Naruko, you…"

Before she could flinch at his tone, a blurry figure sped past the two of them and dove right into the water pulling the man right back up. Naruko quickly let go of the half drowned man, knowing that no amount of hope could bring this man back from the brink of death now. With curious eyes she watched on as a boy in a Hunter Ninja mask pulled Zabuza out from the lake. He wasn't breathing, and the skin around his mouth was looking quite blue. "I apologise, I couldn't lose the body, or I might have been in trouble," The Hunter Ninja spoke his words soft and measured.

Kakashi inclined his head towards the Hunter. "No, it's fine. We don't mind. Come on guys, we have to continue on with the mission." He waved to the Hunter Ninja before the man left in a swirl of leaves, and it left the Jonin to turn back to his team.

Naruko watched his facial expressions, that she could see, wondering if she had perhaps, taken her fight with the man a bit too far. "Come on guys, we should hurry. We need to get back to Tazuna's before anyone else can attack us," he muttered, eyes glancing at her.

Oh jeez, how had she managed to screw things up so badly? What could she say to right this situation? Would Sasuke follow her still, if she left? What would happen with the Village? Would they detain her? Just kill her? Could she write it off as something? Blame the Kyūbi? Kakashi didn't know she housed that.

They walked forward for a few minutes, silence reining among the Ninja and their Client before the latter decided to break the silence. "How did you guys do that? It was pretty cool," he admitted, like he hadn't just seen someone drowned right in front of him.

She could hardly notice the way that Kakashi's head titled and his eye glance at her, but she did. Sasuke's face remained impassive, like he didn't have an opinion on the matter. Kakashi shrugged his shoulders. "The fish around this area are dangerous."

Naruko actually stumbled over her feet. The fish were dangerous? Had he just said that? Why? What did he gain? Was he protecting her? Why?

* * *

XoX

* * *

Upon arriving at Tazuna's house, many things happened at once. His daughter, a pretty sort of woman with a name that she couldn't remember had cooked them a sort of goulash, that had tasted horrible and exactly like something you'd find in Sound. She felt right at home, but that didn't mean she had to like it.

They had been given rooms to sleep in, having to share with Sasuke was something that had her beaming on the inside, but she was still wary. Eyeing Kakashi every moment like he'd turn around, yell the word 'spy' and take her life. Oh, Orochimaru was going to kill her if Kakashi didn't. No, he'd bring her back to life is Kakashi killed her, and then kill her all over again.

Death to the Naruko, she thought gloomily. "Naruto, come here," she finally heard the one-eyed man call, her head turning to face the strict looking man. Naruko had to repress her urge to physically run away and she took this time to centre herself.

The curious looks that Sasuke and Sakura were shooting her really did nothing to help sooth her nerves. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei," Naruko muttered, standing up from the table. She followed the man away from the table, and back towards one of the rooms they'd been given and Kakashi had claimed for himself. Oh dear Kami, he was going to kill her.

Well, she had a good run, plus, she was sure Sasuke would follow Orochimaru if he just offered him a little power and leeway. She'd done a fairly decent job in that regard. "Sit," Kakashi offered graciously, letting the pretend-boy perch on the side of the makeshift bed. He was being awfully polite for a guy who was going to kill her in a few moments. "Let's have a talk about that fight, eh?"

"Sure," Naruko mumbled, ducking her head so that she didn't have to literally look death in the eye.

"Ah, see that there reminds me that underneath all that dark sass, your still just a kid," Kakashi hummed thoughtfully, and she had to force herself not to let her eyes twitch, or respond in a very dark manner. "And you pretty much accidently killed a ninja five times out of your league. No, I don't care exactly _how_ you did it. Just know, that death is an enviable part of this life, and you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. He would've killed you in a heartbeat."

Naruko's head snapped up, eyes wide and heart hammering dangerously fast in her chest. He wasn't…? He didn't…? He just thought this was her first kill?! Or semi-kill, or, oh, she could use this! This was easy to dispel! "I uh, I…" she stumbled, trying to not her relief show. "Know all of that. Thank you Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi gave her one of those strange eye smiles, and patted her short hair affectionately. Oh yes, this, she could use.

"Who wants… to do, you guessed it, more training?" Kakashi asked the team of Genin, his voice bright and ill-suited for the dim light of five am. Why was this man, the man who was pathologically late, even awake this early…?

Naruko managed to wrangle out an annoyed glare, right at the same moment that Sakura started to mutter dark curses at the man. "I'm glad to see you all so bright and happy this morning," Kakashi said cheerfully, his eye curving up into a smile. "I was thinking, what's better in the morning then running a few dozen laps?"

Naruko's eye twitched, but she didn't refute the work, instead running the laps; doing too many stupid exercises. In the end, by the time they were finished, it was only mildly cold instead of freezing. "You all did perfectly, good job," Kakashi congregated, though he did sound somewhat sarcastic, which completely ruined the moment for her. "Now, who knows about the body's chakra system?"

"I haven't got a clue, really," Naruko replied sarcastically, instead of just nodding like her teammates did. "I don't use it on nearly a daily basis, or anything."

"We certainly can't have that; Sakura can you be an actually smart shinobi and explain to Naruto what chakra is and how it works?"

"I was being sarcastic," Naruko muttered. She went ignored, though Sakura did glance at her again, with warm cheeks, before she formed her response to Kakashi. For the next ten minutes, they were all subjected to a lecture on how chakra worked – and its different applications.

It had only left her with one thought. How the hell did Sakura manage to remember all of this!? "We already know this," Sasuke said dryly, eyeing Sakura like she was an idiot. Which she was, albeit one with a pretty good memory. "You've seen us using techniques."

"Unless only being able to use one eye has impaired that ability," Naruko mused, a cheeky grin appearing on her face when Kakashi rolled his eye. Sakura giggled at that comment, fist covering her smile, like she was trying to hide it.

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked, allowing her to raise an eyebrow at the man. "Shut up. You should be aware, of all the chakra you waste when you use Jutsu before you implant fine control."

"As a matter of fact, I do," Naruko responded, shrugging her shoulders and ignoring his helpful comment. "Considering I know all the chakra control exercises."

"You do?" Sakura asked her, eyes wide. "How'd you learn all that!? They didn't teach us that in the academy!"

"I have a lot of excess chakra," she explained, knowing she needed an excuse for knowing. If Kakashi started to ask questions… "I couldn't really preform a lot of the Jutsu properly because I just used too much, because I had too much, y'know?" Naruko paused briefly, before giving Kakashi a shrewd look and adding; "I kind of also already taught Sasuke."

"Can you do water walking as well, Sasuke?" The silver haired man asked, causing a sad look of dejection to spread over the pink-haired girls' face. Sasuke nodded, and in either happiness or sarcasm (she could never tell with him), he clapped his hands. "Great. You can both teach Sakura."

They all froze, before Kakashi made a shooing motion with his hands. "Go on, I'm watching."

"You teaching tree climbing," Sasuke blurted out. "I'll do water walking."

Fucks sake Sasuke. "Alright," Naruko nodded her head, glancing over at Sasuke. "It isn't that hard-."

"Then why did it take you two weeks, and burning off your eyebrows?"

" _Shut up_ _Sasuke_!" Sakura, looked decidedly pale after that comment.

* * *

XoX

* * *

There wasn't very many things that could amuse Naruko, but this, watching Sasuke attempt to train anyone – had to take the cake in amusement factor. She was sitting by the bridge, watching as the construction took place around her, arms and legs tangled around her beautiful orange sleeping bag, and peering down as Sasuke attempted to teach Sakura water walking.

Something the girl didn't grasp in the first five minutes like she had with the tree walking. Naruko secretly just thought she was the better teacher. "So, when do you want to start learning those chains?"

Naruko glanced over at the older ninja sitting beside her, his amused face still locked on his students training and not for his book for once. "As soon as possible," Naruko said, voice solemn. Though, she couldn't quite hide the smile of excitement on her face.

"Not many people know how to use them," he warned, like she wasn't already aware. "Only people who own the weaponry shops. Konoha doesn't have very many weaponry specialists."

"I can figure it out," she tried to assure him: hell, if she was a Konoha nin, she would more than likely be they're best Chains Specialist. Naruko's eyes grazed her teacher for a second, enough to take in the frown lines in his mask – and long enough to miss Sakura falling into the water again. Only hearing the sounds of her screaming, and the large splash.

Then of course, came Sasuke's groan of displeasure. "It's not a good idea to learn on your own Naruto. I can find someone to help you," he topped that off with a friendly smile, and a cheerful tone. Why the hell did this guy always seem to make her want to like him?

Bah, she hated him, honestly. Instead of the 'whatever' she wanted to dish out, she simply smiled, and said; "thank you, Kakashi-sensei."

"No problem Naruto, I'm your teacher, it's what I'm meant to do."

"How'd you manage to become a teacher without twenty-twenty vision anyway?"

"Naruto?" Kakashi asked, voice pleasant. "Shut up. Actually, no. Give me the damned sleeping bag and go round thirty laps of the lake."

"You can't – ah, screw it, fine." Naruko slowly untangled herself from her sleeping bag, glared at the Jonin, and jumped off the bridge, landing on the water without so much as a ripple.

Sasuke sent her a glare of irritation. Naruko shot him a smug smirk, which in turn, coincided with Sakura falling back into the lake.

* * *

XoX

* * *

"It's an eyesore, it should be burned."

"You have no _heart_ Sasuke," Naruko grumbled, pulling her sleeping bag closer to her chest in case Sasuke actually decided to pull through on the last comment. "It's warm as hell."

"It's orange," Sasuke snapped. "It's like a neon sign screaming 'look at me! Please kill me!'."

"We're not exactly in a battlefield, Sasuke!"

"We're in the middle of a damned mission-."

"Now boys," Kakashi held his hands up in warning. The family of their client were staring at them with wide eyes. It was if they were attempting to suspend their disbelief for a few moments, and struggling. "We all know that Naruto has a terrible sense of appropriate ninja items, but that doesn't mean we should fight. We have goulash, we should be eating it."

Naruko glanced down at the mush with distaste. This time in Konoha is going to have permanently ruined her taste buds. She just wasn't going to ever be able to backtrack to these kinds of meals without the thought of delicious Ramen in the back of her mind. Instead of all the arguments she also wanted to put forward, she just rolled her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with the colour orange," she settled for, muttering the comment stoutly.

Sasuke didn't even bother to hide his disbelief, and the expression that did litter his face, let her in on how much he was questioning her sanity. There quite honestly, was nothing wrong with the colour orange. It was, and always will be, one of the nicer colours in the world.

"You know-," Kakashi began, gloved hand rubbing his masked chin, before that little kid, with wild brown spikes atop his head tore through the kitchen – his face alight with tears, his fist curled and was waving in her face. Good god, the tras-, young child, wasn't very bright, was he?

"Why are you all trying so hard!?" the boy cried, eyeing the ninja like they were all stupid. Naruko exchanged a confused look with Sasuke. "You're all going to die if you fight Gato!"

"You know that you're paying us to fight him right?" Naruko asked, amusement lining her voice. "If we die, it's all your fault."

"Naruto-kun!" Sakura snapped, her voice light and scandalised. The boy froze, hand stilled, eyes wide an innocent.

"Well, we could always just leave _you_ to die in our place but then we wouldn't get our money-, uh," Naruko trailed off, unsure what kind of look Sakura was giving her, but it made her feel like she shouldn't be talking. "I mean: no! We uh, will fight and protect you?"

"Naruto-kun!"

"…I'm…sorry?"


End file.
